CONSTITUTION OF LAND BOARDS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 19, 17 October 1907, Page 8

CONSTITUTION OF LAND BOARDS.

PROPOSAL FOR ELECTIVE MEMBERS. Mr. Herries has given. notice to. move a series of now clauses to tho Land Bill in regard to the constitution of Land Boards. Ho .proposes that in each land district there shall be a Land Board consisting of tho Commissioner of Crown Lands, ono member appointed by tho Government, one elected by tho County Councils within the district, and two by tho lessees or licensees of Crown lands 'within tho district. Each member other than tho Commissioner shall hold office for two years,, and shall'he eligible for. reelection. Tho first election of the Boards shall tako place in March next, and tho first meeting of. tho Boards shall take place on the second AVcdnesday in April next. In counties in which there is no County Council, the united Road Boards shall take- the place of tho Council for the purpose of electing a member of tho Board.

Mr. Ell asked tho Acting Minister for Railways, yestorday, when the practice ' of disfiguring the railway-station buildings xith ugly and unsightly advertisements would be discontinued. Tlio Ministor said that advertising at railway-stations was let by contract. .Tho contract was subject to the conditions laid down in tho specifications. Under these the contractor had to obtain the consent of tho District Traffic Manager before any advertisement was exhibited. Advertising hod been in operation in New Zealand for over a quartor of'a century, .and with each contract tho contractors were improving the hoardings and other forms of advertisements, and greater restrictions were imposed on contractors now than at any other time, so.'that linprovoment ill ■ the method of exhibiting advertisements would be continued. . 1 Mr. Hogg asked the Premier yesterday whethor he had-noticed that, consequent on the passing of tho Tariff Bill retaining the duty on wheat and flour, both of these necessaries had rapidly advanced in price ; • and whother, seoing that flour was now quoted at £11 per ton in the South Island and £11 10s: in Wellington,. he would tako steps ,to liavo passed, as a matter of urgency, the legislation promised regulating tho pneo of breadstuffs in the Dominion? The Minister replied that he would submit a .Bill to Parliament at an early date, and hoped' to: have legislation put upon' the Statute Book this session., . Mr.. Herries asked, the Acting-Minister for Railways whether tlie following statement from a Wellington'paper is true, : viz., "A vote is to bo takenj on tho authority of the Minister for Railways, of aJI railway workshop employees to ascertain whethor they wish' to como under tho provisions of the Arbitration Act. Should tho veto bo favourablo, legal steps will be taken to give effect- to it. When a similar vote. was. last taken thore was a great majority against coming under tho scopo of the Act";, and, if true, will the Minister have the vote taken over'tho whole railway servico, and not confino it to the workshops? , Tho Minister replied:—lt having been frequently stated that tho members - of the railway workshops staff wore desirous of. boing brought under tho provisions of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and a request emanating ' from tho workshops ,men themselves having been made in that, direction, I propose to give tho workshops men an opportunity of voting on tho question, and, 'in the event of a majority being in favour of, tho alteration, to airango for its being made. The vote will, as on-a previous occasion, be limited to the artisans and others employed in tho railway workshops. - Tho men employed in othor Departments of tho servico have not expressed any desire to bo brought under tho provisions of the Arbitration Act, and their circumstances ■ aro, moreover, entirely dissimilar to tlioso of tho workshops staff. The' Minister for Justice informod Mr. Okey (Taranaki) yesterday that liis attention had boen called to tho finding of tho Grand Jury in tho recent case at Now Plymouth, and he had submitted tho matter to the proper authority, by, whom ho was 'advised that it was improbablo further action would result satisfactorily. No report had boon received from tho presiding Judgo. As to supplying copies of depositions to the jury, he said this was a matter requiring the gravest consideration, and in any case the alteration would necessitate an amendment in the existing law. Up to date some 3000 Exhibition diplomas have been signed and delivered to successful exhibitors (stated tho Hon. G. Fowlds yesterday), tlio balance, amounting to another 3000, wore at present in Wellington being signed by tho President- of tho Exhibition, and would bo distributed as soon as possible. \ return presented to Parliament sli»tts that at the ffitchonor Settlement one section yet remains to bo taken up, nt the Jiethueji, Settlement ftrar sections, at the Craddock Settlement six sections, . nt the Hot ana Settlement 98 sections, at tho Plumcr Settlement three sections, and at tlio Waari Settlement 85 sections. Those settlemerits are, all situated near Auckland. Mr Dillon has presented a lengthy petition from Miss Meinertzhagcn regarding hor interest in certain blocks ot native lands m tho Kawko's Bay district. Tlio petition was referred to the Native Lands Committee. A return presented to Parliament shows that tho total cost and expenditure on tlio Spotswood Settlement (Taranaki) to March 31, last was £10,905. Tho area leased was 100 acros, tho animal rental payable £193, tho rents and'other payments recoived during tho voar 1900-/ £273, and tho total receipts from tho incentioii to March 3L 1907.

In roply to Mr. Field (Otaki) the Minister for Defence said yesterday that.so long, a period having elapsed sinco dnto of service, it was resolved by the Government on the Juno 16, 1900, to decline all further applications for New Zealand medals. The question of reviewing the decision then arrived at would be considered. 'l'ho Slinister for Marine stated yesterday that .au interim report can now bo given on the first threo months' work of tho Nora Kivcn." Mr. Hanan was informed yestordaj; that the question of giving the Inspectors in the centres the title of Superintendent'' was receiving consideration, nut in the event of such a rank being created it was not in--tended that, it should carry with it any jurisdiction over outside Inspectors. Tho Nativo Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives recommends that, the Government tnko into consideration the gonoral principles recently enunciated by tho Appellato Court, with a view to placing the law ns to.the rights of adopted Maori children and tho adopting parents on a more satisfactory basis. The recommendation was made in view of a petition praying for legislation to grant a rehearing of a Native succession claim. i