POLITICAL NOTES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19176, 6 December 1927, Page 10

POLITICAL NOTES.

llm n *» •»« WELLINGTON, B(w , w Deteriorated Lands. The reason why the Worir , Special Committees dealing 1, ? orated lands has not beon JLT, explained by the Minister J 4 *** (Mr McLeod), i n the HoujmJ*' 4 ' The Minister said that suffl j had been done by the vaSu.T* 0 * tees over a wide area to ations and opinion as to thn K ***«• of doaUnj a.'}« W* of (ho committees woulfl u * M) t definitely finished before now? 0 settlers put in their applS n h#d «>• ™ the specified time,» P a Minister. '' Thov had ab2 ! Cd th « to apply, and since that tim,? there have been at 2fJT «Pl« 4 number of applications. It"",! 6 tk « there will be no finality to tu nnttees' work until We V* »* Instructions havo been is BUP fl « hiltmore applications can be accent!!'V° ther applications will have t! under the legislation passed tw. C ?®» We are end^vouring s ?^^" lo ''- of the committees completed rW * oflt present sumnior." P " dutln 8 the State Advances Loans. _ A further statement of the nn.ui in regard to State advances low! 1 made by the Minister for Hnt Downie Stewart) in the House tJ when replying to a question by Mr Wn' ford, who had asked whethor ,6 me nt of hopo could bo given to #Ji! * that in the near of their loans would be granted ft Minister said the Government had 2 accused of borrowing too mJc k*j£ having returned to the attack oZS other day. The Government w*, .ll mitted to largo expenditure for hviln! electric, railway, and other workt Mr Wilford: Has the well run d,*i The Minister: No, but wo are 5! paying out over £250,000 a month b loans for houses, and to assist men i, getting on the land, and I think ttit is a very substantial amount for k kmli country liko Now Zealand. If the Z? try thinks that is not enough, and tin everybody must bo provided for-M I do not think that is feasible. Mr H. 6. R. Mason (Eden): .B« t about the rural credits branch! The Minister: That is getting on ifl right. w Election Petitions. In tho House of Representative t» day there was a discussion on the qo& tion of whether the State or candidattt should bear tho costs involved ill m nexion with deciding the issue in elj toral petitions, such as were heard iftt last General Election. Mr P. ftjaj (Wellington Central) contended tUt! was the unanimous opinion of the cott try that tho costs in the election petl> tion cases in Westland and Lytteltoi should be defrayed from the Ooaioli. dated Fund, and not bo cast on the petitioners.

Mr McCombs said that in the Lyttek ton caße, though he was successful, colli had been given against him. It wu M fair that costs should be given Bg»itt||,' either party when the cause of tl» whole trouble was a scries of failU oi the part of Government officer!, . That was the case at Lyttelton, and botk tho winner and the loser lia'fj ,to: paj,',. That was a risk every candidate ran, He recognised, however, thai no provk sion should bo made in the tut of one who presented a frivolouspelltiOn, An amendment should be madt ill tii( Legit lature Act to see that justice wu itme in this matter.

Mr Seddon agreed with Mr HcGottbi, It was, he suggested, particulatlfWd* in the case of his opponent, who ft)not in a very good financial posltlpjj that he should have to pay cost*, The Minister in charge of the Hfitoral Department (Mr McLeod) hti the Government recognised that ii# was a degree, probably a substaiw degree, of justice in the arguments members. Information had been lOtlgU as to the legislation in .existence k other democratic countries, but up to tbi present little of value had been «• ceived. There were difficulties in lb matter. If the question hinged loldf upon errors of judgment on the part of returning officers, lie did not think till responsibility rented upon the Government. All he could do was to proiUM that he would go into the matter ia tki recess, not alone in the cases referred to. but from the point of view of geieru legislation. He would not say that ji such legislation a free hand shouldto given to litigants who wished to chirp unreasonable expenses. Sonie lijiw should be placed. The matter, howiWi would be gone into. A Record.Session. During the session just conclude House sat on 105 days, which is & J* cord for the Dominion. The hour! $ sitting totalled 777, or an averart <# 7 hours 24 minutes, which is rather. W than in 1913, when the average wtt • hours 42 minutes. The public Bp passed totalled 101, those dropped, w otherwise disposed of 38, and pn™» Bills passed numbered 2. There WOT 283 petitions presented from and 63 from Maoris; 84 divislotl.wW place, and questions asked of MInWW numbered 260. There were 274 p»p»J presented to the House and 400 reporo were received from Select OopW ; tees.