NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 691, 16 December 1909, Page 5

NEWS AND NOTES.

RIVAL .PORTS, TEMPTING THE DREADNOUGHT. An amusing '■.rivalry, has been exhibited in the House of Representatives between Mr: Glover, member for Auckland Central, and [ Mr. Duncan, member for Wair.iu, as to tho claims of their respectivo ports—Auckland and Ficton—to entertain prospective Dreadnoughts. Mr, Duncan recently asked the Prime Minister: "Whether, in view of the fact'that a ship-of tho Dreadnought class has a maximum draught of 31ft., and, also, that the Auckland , channel by the chart shows a depth of water of only :13ft., it is desirable that, before further expenditure upon a dock in Auckland Harbour is urged upon tho Admiralty, a commission ho set up to inquire as to the.most suitablo harbour in New Zealand ns a naval base and for suitable dockyards." Tho reply given was ; that, tho port of Auckland having beon selected,'nothing was to bo. gained by theoretically discussing other possible ports. When the replies to questions were discussed yesterday Mr. Glover said he had received a telegram from the Auckland Harbour Board stating that the' least depth of water in the Rangitotb Channel at high water, .and during spring tides was 41ft. 6in., and at low water' ordinary spring tides 31ft. Gin., whilst in other places in the harbour it was much deeper, running up to fifteen fathoms at the Calliope Dock. . Mr. Duncan s,aid that when he brought up the question first ho was not aware that Auckland had' been selected as tho naval base, and he had, therefore, put in a claim on behalf of the best harbour in Now Zealand. ' Mr. Glover: Tho second best!. Mr. Duncan,: I say the best in' New Zealand. Ho understood that when Auckland was first chosen as the. naval base tho" men-of-war were of a much smaller type than at tho present time. • The vessels had since grown in size, and it seemed that the Auckland Harbour was unsuitable for vessels of the Dreadnought .type. In the event of a llcot being in that har.bour it might not' bo able to leave at.low water, however necessary it might bo for it to leave. Tho same difficulty would . arise, in regard to vessels desiring to enter tho ■ harbour at low water. ' . , Mr.'Glover again: quoted tho figures in tho telegram as showing that Mr. Duncan's ques- . ti'on - was misleading. ' . Mr. Duncan: My figures referred to the ' depth , of water at low tides.- ■ The Speaker: As both lion, gentlemen appear to be iright, I will call on the next speaker. THE LAND BILL,. Nothing has been heard concerning tho Land Bill during the last few, days. It has been , occupying a lowly position' on tho Order Paper, its\ nuinhe-r yesterday being 11. It is still stated that tho Bill may be brought to the top of, the Order Paper for a second reading debate-before the end of the session. This is the opinion expressed by a freehold member of the Government party. Ono of the leading leasehold members, however, on being questioned on the subject last night, scouted the idea of any move being heard of the measure, this session. "The Bill," he said, "is as dead as Julius Caesar." ',' KING COUNTRY.LICENSES. The Prime Minister has given notice to introduce tho King Country Licenses Bill to-day. HEEDLESS MINISTERS. A protest was.made by Mr. Buchanan, member t'or.Wairarapa, yesterday, against the inattention of Ministers to the views of members' as. expressed in their ; discussion of replies; to questions, t Tho matter immediately under consideration was tho revised) train service- in the Wairarapa. When tho discussion • on-this subject was commenced, Mr. Buchanan pointed out, there, wero two Ministers in tho House. Tho Minister,for Internal 'Allaire was pleasantly engaged in'chatting'with a member, and tho Minister for Education was busily occupied in reading some official papers. This was very scant courtesy to members, who wero at last being given one of the- very few opportunities they had of discussing certain important questions. It meant that no whatever was being paid to them by Ministers. ''NATIVE LAND 1 BILL./ ■; A deputation consisting of Messrs. Green-, slade, ; Jennings, Laurenson, 'Macdo'nald, To' Rangiliiroa, and Pavata, waited upon the Prime Minister, yesterday for the'.purpose of urging, that tho'Native Land'Bill should, if possible, bo .passed this session. Mr. Grconslado ;said ' that the Bill was, from, tho point of view of ■ the: northern part of-the Dominion, tho.most important, measure now., before Parliament, and,if passed:it would be the largest Act on the Statuto Books. Tho 'Native/Affairs Committee had spent eighteen days in considering the measure.' Messrs;. Parata and To Rangiliiroa 'urged' -that though , great concessionswere in their opinion being mado to tho.Europeans by the Bill, the., measure should be passed, this year. -, : ] ■■ ■'' Mr. Jennings,-'Chairman of tho.Nativo Affairs Committee, referred to the' , enormous amount of work that the'committee hadMiad ill going' through tho Bill, and urged that-it should be givon precedence by \the Government. Sir Joseph Ward replied that ho recognised the importance of tho Nativo land question, and whilst ho would not commit himself to any definite promise/, he assured tho deputation that he would do his best to put tho Bill through this session. '*.. HUTT VALLEY TRAMWAY 81LL,.; Tire Local' Bills Committee, to whom', was referred the Hutt ; Valley Tramway District Amendment Bill, has shorn tho measure of all, its provisions excepting the short title, a clauso relating to' polling booths, and a clause amending Section 23 of the principal Act. .' .' '•; -'•;. ALLEGED UNFAIR COMPETITION./, ' Complaint is made in a petition by a number of- hairdressers and -tobacconists at Pal-mc-rston North to alleged unfair competition on tho part of-various hotels, small grocers, fruiterers,'■ and stationers. The petitioners also joint in tho protest against tho 2* jier cent, surtax now imposed' on tobacco and cigarettes. If the tobacconist trado wero brought under license it would, 1 they think, remedy at "least some.of the existing evils. ;■"',' . ~- PETITION FROM MOTORMAN BARTON. Yesterday, Mr., R. A., Wright presented a petition from Motorman Frank Barton, pray-, ing fori compensation for the injuries-which' he received in cpnsequenco of a collision between a State coal lorry and a ■ tramcar which he was driving. Petitioner states (inter alia) that ho is now without means or. any prospect of obtaining employment suitable to the condition of his health, or sufficient to enable him to maintain himself. Ho has dopendent upon him his mother, who is now permanently an invalid. The petition was ordered to be sent direct to the A to L CommittC3.. .'.■/" ■. TESTIMONIAL TO MR. F. LAWRY. . Subscription lists in connection with, tho proposed testimonial to Mr. F.- Lawry, M.P. for Parnell, havo been.forwarded to member's of the House. Mr. Glover, who is interesting himself in the matter, has received promises of donations from several members ■ of; both Houses. It is proposed to hand the amount' collected to the.Auckland Committee, with tho object of purchasing o feause, which will be presented to Mrs, Lawry as a mark of recognition of her husband's political sorvieci. Mr. Lawry, it may bo.mentioned, is th« Father of the North Island section of tho House, of which he first became a.member in 1887. ALTERATIONS TO HOUSE. Tho House Committee has reported that it had pased tho following resolutions:— (r) "That the seating accommodation and the flighting of tho House aro so defective that this committee recommends to the Government that they bo remodelled on tho plan of tho old chamber, which was destroyed by fire." .(2) That tho Government he requested to havo a sketch, plan of the proposed' alterations prepared forthwith and submitted to tho comniitteo for ; consideration. '■' (3) That this committee also recommends that • accommodation for the Hansard staff bo provided on the floor of the House as in tho session of 1908." Tho motion that tho report be. laid on the tablo of tho House was agreed to without "discission, .-■' . ' ■ THE LAND LAWS. ' Complaint was made by Mr. Laurenson yestorday that, irrespective of what lands ho might hold, a,man might lease Nativo reserves anil public endowments to any extent.' Under this system, he declared, some or tho largest land-owners in the country wero .monopolising thousands of acres of public reserves. Mr. Laurenson said ho trusted that in tho.oo'urso of' another year this would'bo rendered' possible. Au that was wanted was an amendment of tho Land Act, which-would prevent . any individual holding over a certain area of land from 'leasing any public endowment or Native reserve. He did not blame "any person for taking advantago of the law as'it stood, ' Hut it was Uta, ]&% .\ras altered. 1.

WORK OF THE SESSION.; On and after to-day the House will comuionco.its work nt 10 a.m. doily. Permission was given last evening for the Local Bills Committee to meet while the-House is. in session. ... , '. Mr. Mossey suggested that ..the Primo Minister should reconsider his proposal to sit at 10 a.m., and start at 2.30 p.m. This would .be-bettor for members generally. ■-~■'■.;. "I'm sorry that I cannot comply with tho request," said the Prime Minister. Sir Joseph Ward added that he would linko a statement this morning covering the business for tho rest of the session. ; '■. REPORTS ON PETITIONS. According to the Lands Committee, tho petition of F. M. Kenny,'and 131 others, praying, for acquisition of land in the vicinity of • Woodvillo for closer ".settlement, is oiw .which should bo referred to the Government for consideration. "No recommendation.to make," is the.report of the Lands Committee, with reference to tho petition of John Rid'dcll, .who. prayed that holders of leases of small-. grazing runs prior to the passing of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1907, bo enabled to obtain an exchange of their lrases for renewable leases, on terms and conditions not inconsistent with the Laud Act, 1908. . ■ .'.-.., The Native Affairs ■ Committee , recom- ■ mends thfct the petition of Rewanui Apatari, of Awapum, prafing that inquiries be made into tho positions of trust in regard to land known as Ahuaturanga, or Woodville, Section 200, should bo referred to the Government for . consideration. "No recommendation to mako" is the report of tho Education Committee on the petition of Henry Bromley, . who applied l for .compensation for alleged wrongful dismissal from the position of farm overseer of tho boys' training rami at Wereroa. . Public Petitions Committeo has reported that it has no recommendation to make with .reference to tho petition, of Lillios Milliconti James, of Masterton, who prayed for further compensation on the death of her. husband, tho late Mr. S. James, 5.M.,/at Masterton. Importing on tho. petition -of John Collins, of Napier, who sought scrip or grant of land for military services rendered, the Public Petitions Committeo has recommended that it should be ! referred to the Government for consideration. ■ •.. ■ "With respect to the petition of Haira Hori, and 13 others, of Wairarapa, who prayed, in reference to Tupapaknrua; and Korakonui Blocks, that tho. arrangement originally entered into by the sellers and tho Crown bo completed, tho ; Native Affairs Committee has reported: that in their opinion it should be referred to the Government, for inquiry. The- Goldfields and Mines Committee reported yesterday on the petition of tho shareholders of tho Westport Cardiff Coal Company (liquidated). It will bo remembered"that tho petitioners re-' presented that in order to'satisfy a debt of .£4470 the Government ; seized the-plant, ma-' terial, and property of : tho 'company,-■: valued at JC21.32U; that the value placed by thoiniuing inspectors upon ; the:' property seized ; was i73IG; that tho whole of tho--property- was now being profitably worked by the Govern- 1 v ment; and that no consideration had been allowed to tho company for tho value of the property, in excess of tho debt. - According to the committee, the petition should be referred ' to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration. '.'.'•: WHAT MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW. '■■':.■■ : MINISTERIAL ANSWERS. "- . .-'Answers, to. questions', were circulated 'yesterday after'noon.. Tho following are, the principal replies:— .'.'-' . : , ', ~' -Night Made Hideous. The "extraordinary noises" of railway engines at Thorndon,' which, according to Mr. Wilford,. "render night hideous and sleep impossible," aro attributed to increased traffic at the station, caused "by the" diversion .' of trains -from the Riniutaka ■■ to the Manawatu line. This increased business has resulted in a largo amount .of additional shunting, which requires, to be done under tho: protection of proper signals, and,, to secure' this, intended . movements of trains have in many cases- to bo indicated by a whistle. To minimise tho trouble as much as possible a bell-call has been established. between, the ■ Davis Street crossing ui\d tbq, north signal-cabin at" Lambtoh, and instructions were issued quite -three months ago that were'only to-bo used when essential.to socure'.lho safety-of tho operations . about to be undertaken, and'to-facilitate-tho 1 carrying out of tho ordinary movements. .-':'■',•■■ Taranaki. Oil Springs. - The Government is now- inourring considerable expense in carrying; out \the, geological survey of the. oil-bearing portion of the Taranaki district, -chiefly. in" the interest of: those engaged. in boring for. petroleum. When : tho survey is completed tho data bbtained by the officers engaged upon the work' will bo published and should prove of much assistance to the industry. . In addition: to the work now being;performed by the Mines: Department in the direction indicated, a subsidy was granted a few years ago towards the cost of:sinking one of tho bores, and a. bonus of 3d. per gallon is how being offered on the'first 500,000 gallons of mineral oil produced in the Dominion. In view of all the circumstances, the Minister for Mines cannot see his wavto re-' cpimnend tho Government to depart from their established policy by sinking a special bore. '"Canadian Arbitration System. In reply to' M.r.' Wilford's. request, that the Government should-obtain from tho Canadian Government, information showing tho working of the.lndustrial Disputes -Investigations Act, 1907, the Primo Minister states that the. Labour Department already has reports giving tho information, which will bo' availabUvto members on .application. , ...'..,..,;..:,. Other Answers. ■ ■ , : Tho question of. providing compensation for the Eltham Borough on\ tho' Supplementary Estimates will bb considered.. '~ Tho port of Auckland; having been selected as a naval base, nothing is to be gained by theoretically discussing other'; possible ports. ; An amendment to tbo'Old Ago-Pensions Act to exempt the homes of.pensioners will bo given effect to this session.- ' •->■" • .-':' A report will bo obtained as to the advisability of taking shingle from tho .Waikanao River for railway ballasting. - '.'..■; Judges at agricultural; shows ore not debarred from giving information or opinions concerning tho exhibits. ... ;. The Government will consider whether it will take any action with regard to the committee's report on thß Greymouth leases, .-.which-was-"talked out.":. ';. ;■'.;';.-V ...,'; :../; '■' • Carriage of Str'awberriei. ] ~■/ The question; of-the-.carriage of. strawberries from Auckland; to Wellington by the' express' trains' was raised in the House yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Poole said that while, strawberries, were very : plentiful in Auckland they wcro practically prevented from being brought to tho > Wellington market by the prohibitive freights asked for on, the railways. ■ Ho understood that tho Minister had now consented to put a special van ior, : .t,he. conveyance of strawberries on tho;se,cond express, l -the von to have a capacity of oi.itht. tons, and to bo subject to. a charge of £22 por trip; He did not know whether the growers would, be able to tako advantage of this offer or not. : Mr. Glover said that tho Minister's offer had come rather late, as the ' strawberry- season would soon be at an end.'' Strawberries - .had boon sold as high as 3s. and 3si 3d. a .box in Wellington, whereas' if there was a' reasonable moans of transit from Auckland, they might bo sold at about Is. br'-ls.'-3d.' a'bo'x. "■ • •