POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3295, 14 August 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

TOWN PLANNING BILL.

THE RAISING OF LOANS.

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, August 12. It is regarded by members as a certainty that the troubles of Mr Fowlds with his Town Planning Bill have not ended with the elimination of the controlling power of the Governor-in-Councii, which was effected against his will, by the House on Friday night. A battle is expected over the closing words of Clause 10: “In raising any loan for tlie purpose of the scheme (i.e., any duly aproved town planning scheme), it shall not be necessary to take any poll of the ratepayers.” The feeling against this provision appeals to be as strong and general as that against the Cabinet control which lias been eliminated. It is also expected that the Minister will move for an alteration of the constitution of the proposed Town Planning. Board. The clause as it stands provides for a body comprising the Surveyor-General as chairman, and four other members to be appointed by the Governor. These four, according to Mr Fowlds’ expressed intention, would be experts selected from different branches of the pnblio service. It is anticipated that he will now propose to have a Minister as chairman.

RAILWAYMEN’S NEEDS.

A PRIVATE INTERVIEW

The Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants interviewed members of Parliament at the House on Saturday to lay before them the leading grievances of the second division of the service. Over forty members were present, and the proceedings, which were private, lasted two and a-half hours. DEALINGS WITH NATIVE LANDS. WHAT A NEW ZEALAND JUDGE THINKS. During a recent sitting of the Full Court Mr Justice Edwards gave utterance to a statement that is very generally agreed with throughout the North Island. He pointed out that if the present system of restricting dealings with Native land were continued long enough it would, in the end, create a Maori landed aristocracy. It was a pity, he added, that Natives were not allowed to deal with their lands so that the country might get settled. Tlie Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) expressed his disagreement with the remark concering a Maori aristocracy. IN OPPOSITION TO THE PREMIER. REQUISITION TO AN AWARUA

FARMER

A requisition is in circulation asking Mr J. R. Hamilton to stand for the representation of Avarua against the Prime Minister (Sir Joseph Ward). It is as follows:—“To J. R. Hamilton, Esq v Winton.—Dear Sir,—We, the undersigned residents of tlie Awarua electoral district desire that you will allow yourself to be nominated as a candidate for Parliamentary honors in the Opposition interest at the election of members to serve m the House of Representatives appointed to be liolden in or about the month of November next. It is, perhaps, needless for us to remind you that you have grown up amongst us, and that you have been closely identified with the development and progress of this district. We have watched your career with interest, and have had cause to admire your conduct in the several public offices you have filled. We desire to obtain your services. in the higher sphere of Dominion politics, assured that you will instil the same energy and disinterestedness into the service of the Awarua constituency in Parliament that lias distinguished your career in other public positions. Should you grant a favorable reply to our requisition, we pledge ourselves separately to support your candidature, and undertake to use our influence with other electors to assure your return to Parliament.” WAGES OF RAILWAY WORKERS.

THE VIEW OF THE MINISTER

The Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. A. Millar) recently stated, in replying to a question by Mr Massey, that he would be glad to concede to the New Zealand railway employees the conditions and pay enjoyed by railwaymen in New South Wales. Answering a second question by Mr Massey, the Minister stated that he would be glad to make the substitution apply either to the locomotive branch or to the service as a whole. Mr Massey subsequently received the following telegram from the secretary of the Locomotive Union : “This Union is willing to accept New South Wales and Victorian conditions and pay provided conditions and pay m New Zealand are kept strictly in accordance with those States; also, that locomotive men in New Zealand shall be paid the same percentage over a laborer as exists in those States.”

“COLLEGE OF HERALDRY.”

A NEW ZEALAND ARISTOCRACY,

Mr Fisher the other day gave notice to ask the Acting-Prime Minister if the Government will take into consideration the question of establishing in New Zealand a college of heraldry for the purpose of recording the genealogy, coat-of-arms, and honors of the landed and other gentry of New Zealand, settling the question of precedence at public functions, and recommending to the Administration the names of persons in want of honors and deemed to be desirable founders of an aristocracy. Presumably Mr Speaker or the Clerk of the House exercised the power of censorship on this question, as it did not appear on the proof order paper in the evening.

CITIZEN AS WELL AS MEMBER

MR MALCOLM’S TILT AT THE MINISTERS.

In Parliament the other evening Mr Malcolm, the member for Clutha, sharply rebuked Ministers of the Crown for “impertinence” in flaunting before the people an assumption that they " (the people) were indebted to the Government for the expenditure of public money. “I stand here, not only as a member of the House,” said Mr Malcolm, “but as a citizen, to resent the imputation that the people are indebted to the Government, for their own money. It is a piece of sheer and downright impertinence for the members of any Government to speak in that way.”