WHAT MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 5

WHAT MEMBERS WANT TO KNOW

•.:V - ; MIXISTEEIAL;EEPIIES.vf:: '; ';. Tho follOTcJng are'some'of the principal ieplies given by Ministers to numbers' questiona '■■ -.:-"v Lord , : Kitchener, ".'.,'. ,',':'■ ■■ .The date has yet to.'bo, fixed, for Lord Kitchener s promised visit to. New Zealand. ■ '':'■■■.,.' ~' ■ ■ '■■!•'; ..' ' ■ .'■'■. ■■ .'■ ■ Petonoand Hutt Post Offices. . the Petohe and '.Hurt Post Offices cannot be converted into chief 'offices\in'order that , depositors may bo enabledvto obtain moneys-to be withdrawn- on application -without reference .to the.head office, buoliconversion, if applied to ,all offices of similar.standiiig in the'jJoniinloii, iwo.uld '■.niean.au; increase, in tho savings bank expenses of finite:so'per' cent., without' any prospect of adequate return. Persons desiring lmniediate witndrawiils as such.'places as Petono and llutt are'usually well cared for by private.'banking institutions, 'with , 'which'; if is not;, the policy of . : tho Post: Office 'Savings Html; to enter into competition. .'. Trustees' 01" lodges may authorise ■.-.the, secretary or' treasurer of the lodgo.or.one of .their ■■. members -to receive payment. . , ' . . ' ■■ ■ ■ •-■.■:■'. '-. Grainger Block. / ■'■';.■' question of redress for the Harbour Board s seizure 'of '■' the.: Grainger ' Block will be looked into. ,■,,.- \... ..... .. '";.■.■■' O' Kawhia Railwa^^;- , ■; ;v '' : •■ 'Mr.- Jennings asked Xhe Minister,"for'PTiiblio Works recently, whether he would have atrial survey, made, as promised -by: "tho'-Hbn!" W:'. Hall-Jones, of the line .between: Kawhia aiid a junction with . the Auckland Main Trunk line. ■The"reply .given, is that: Mr. Hall-Jones stated that .a trial, survey ivould.be made of this :lineaud : a .number of; others, as soon as officers were available for.'tho .work;-but, up to the present time, the..engineers of tho Department have been too'. fully. employed lo undertake any'.but- the; most'urgent surveys.' •.

; r ' .' Crown' Suits Act. '"'':' , ■ Mr'.' Field recently:asked the 'Minister for Mines when- the Government proposed 'to carry Dut the recommendution of tho Public Petitions Cbmmtyteo that tho'claimof the New Zealand Farmers' C'o-operativo Distributing Company against the- State.Coal Depot bo' referred to arbitration. ■ A , reply .was given'yesterday that the Committee 6 recommendation will :roceivo 'tho'-.careful consideration of;, tho Government during thorecoss. :; '■.'■'.■' ■ ■: , :..'■; '■■ Rangatatau -Block. ' Tho Rangataiau Block, near'Waitotara, will probably.be opened for, selection about tho end of: February, , and tho Toad will bo'proceeded with.probably in a month's time. ■;■ ~'■'' .■' : '.;.,'.; ■ Good Hacks; ■■■.; -v \;. '• ■■■::'.. •Mr. Okey.asked the Government whether in ;.order to stimulate the. breeding of good weightcarrying hacks, they would when issuing tofali. tator..permits' stipulate, that the:. raties for which tho 'machine-..was> to;"bei:nscd must bo for distances., of not loss tbnn one mile,- and the minimum weight morcased to at least 'twrcn •'• stone. ■'. Tho-reply is that: Whilo the Government is-..- ajixipus ■.' ,to ;..-' encour■age.: .tho; breoding. -of serviceable v horsos fuitable for remonnts: it is impracticable to uiaie such,* Btjpttlßtioii-M' suggested- without.

legislation; and: any legislation. in this direb-'*-' tioh would require careful consideration, or it, might -havo. a contrary effect, to thatde- ■ sired. ■'- ..■■•::..',. ■ , , ;.*■ ■ . . ■ '■':■■■'■'.■ ' "■'■". Auckland Fruit. ; ■'■■'' ! r ■• ■ Now -Zealand-grown : fresh- "fruit • conveyed/ lla m . .Auckland to' Wellington ■■ (a distance/of ■lJb:in)l«s) is charged at a rate which averages' one-sixth of a penny per.pound, and the Hon. J. A. Millar-has intimated,to tho Auckland irnit-groworslhatwhilothocxtracxpras is run- ' nine and wliou the: load of. that, train-per-/ mitfi :]io: is prepared to haul a• bogie-truck of■■■ mut at- the class "D" rate, which , represents a charge of id. per lb. i Whoro special scrvioea aro'performed m. connection with- the carrideo of:fruit those concerned in Iho industry must Oβ prepared to pay for such services, and ho : cannot undertake to carry fruit by tho express services, at other than the terms he has indi. cated to. the •Waiteniata 1 Fruit- Co-operative Society, .Auckland. Tho , Fruit-growers': Asso-., elation has voluntarily offered to pay treble'the ' tariff rate , ; on fruit carried by the express: trains, ; while tho special rate ttiat■' the De-!■■' partment; is, charging, for conveyance of the "-.- samo article by tho express is less ; than double ' rate,'- ■. ■ . ~;- ; ■ . ■ ...'■.-. -. -, : ■ .