NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 891, 10 August 1910, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES.

KAURI CUM INDUSTRY AMENDMENT BILL. It is proposed that the Kauri Gum Industry Amendment Bill shall tommenco on January 1, 1911. Every li T censo which may bo issued, shall be issued by the Commissioner of Crown Lands for tho land district within which the license is to apply, and not by any local authority. All license fees received shall (aft-er deducting such proportion of the cost of administering that Act as may bo prescribed by tho Govornor-m-Conncil, or in 'the absence of such prescription, as may be fixed in each case by the commissioner) bo paid to tho local authority of tho district in which the holder of the license resides. Tho holder of a special license shall be entitled to employ any member of his family whoso ago does not exceed sixteen years to dig gum for him without taking out a license for that member. Tho Minister may appoint such rangers as be thinks fit Nothing in this Act shall affect any license,in force on tho commencement or this Act. REFUSAL OF A CHALLENGE. Whilst speaking on the Budget -yesterday the Hon. D. Buddo vaguely alluded to Mr. Hine's complaint as to the Jion-oxpenditure of votes last year. . "In view of Mr. Hino's charming innocence of the position," ho said "I don t think that I will touch on the matter." Mr. Hino: "Yes, do." Mr. Buddo: "Why, in computing the expenditure you only took half the! amounts that had been expended 1 I think we should forgive you." Mr. Hine: "You sot me right." Mr. Buddo, after consultation with the Hon. It. M'Kenzio, dm not, howevor, return to tho subject. FREEHOLD EVERY TIME. ~ "Gjye us a straight-out issue, and it will be freehold overy time," interjected Mr. Greenslade, a Government freeholder, while Mr. Field, who : voted with tho Opposition on the recent noconfidenco motion, was speaking last night. . • ■ ]

MR. DINNIE'S NEW APPOINTMENT.

In tbe course of liis speech on tho Budget last night, Mr. Field, M.P. for Otuki, a Government supporter, touchr ed upon tho appointment of Mr. Diriiiio (ox-Commissioner, of Poljco) to tlio chairmanship of one of the' Maori Land Boards. Mr. Field said that he .belioved. that tho appointment was a mistake, but ho was not prepared to say that Mr. Dinnio would not'carry'out his duties satisfactorily.. In this connection, ho might mention that ho know an old public servant who was looking for advancement, who could havo filled such a position with tho utmost credit to himself and tho country. "I am glad, however," added Mr. Field, "that ■Mr. Diimie was. provided for. for I always felt in regard to tho police- business that he did not get a fair run. Moro was mado out of his failure than need havo been tho caso. The country was not quite justified in meting out the punishmonfc which ho rocoived." ( ■ .

EGMONT QUARRIES. Mr. Pearco (Patea) has given -notice to ask the- Minister 'for Public Works why, after visiting and publicly condonming the method of obtaining: and crushing metal.on tho. Mount Egniont branch railway, lie has.failed to expend tho £5000 voted by Parliament to extend that railway to tho main reef, where cheaper and better motal can lie obtained. Hie local bodies in the district botween Wangahui and New Plymouth are losing thousands of pounds per annum, Mr. Pearco states, through this work not being completed to onable thorn to obtain', cheap and good metal. , ' i . ■-. . . ■ ■.-,'■ DISTRICT NEEDS. Mr..Boss is'asking tlio Government (1) whether they '.will instruct tlio head of the Geological Survey Department to investigate and report upon tho coal and copper bearing country situated at Maharahara and in tho Manawatu Gorge; (2) whether they will obtain an/ export report as to the feasibility and estimated cost of 'deepening the month of theAohanga River, in order to provide harbourage within, tho river; and (3) whether thoy will Inake arrangements to acquire for closer settlomout Native lands at Mangatoro, known as Tirntii-Manawatu No. 4d, comprising 6S2S acres. ■

Mr.. Wright lias given notice'to ask the Prime.Minister irhethei. he intends ■this session to place a sum of money on flic Estimates as compensation to J. J. Meikle for wrongful imprisonment. ■ ' . ,

The Hon N . J. A. Millar has given notice to introduce the Mining Act.Amondment Bill in the House to-day. dOTTINCS. • "No .self-respecting \ Government would ait on (hoso benches session after session and say they are going to bring down a Local Government Bill, and session after session do nothing." —Mr. Lang (Manukau). , "I consider that the small farmers are tho white slaves of the countrv " Mr. Field (Otaki). : "If there is a graduated tax it should apply to all wealth. Is tho man on tho land an undesirable man? It seems to ho .the object of the Government to penalise him in everv way. They will not give him decent roads; they load his lands for 999 .years, and do not expend that loading; they, tax land specially as distinct from other wealth. —Mr. Lang,- in the' House yesterday. "It is a pity that wo have party politics at all. Much time is wasted by one sido refuting the statements of the other side and so on. Wo should bo able to spend moro time on constructive legislation and. improving tho position of our people."—Mr. Hogan. Speaking to i a Dominion reporter last night, Mr. Lawry, M.P. for Parnell, said that he acknowledged making a mistake in accusing Mr. Massoy (Leader of the Opposition) of having been responsible for the lack of a quorum whilst Mr. Poolo was addressing tho House on the Budget. In this connection Mr. Lawry also stated that by his reference to tho matter he had not the slightest intention of casting ridicule on Mr. Poole, as had been suggested in some quarters. Five hundred signatures aro appended to a petition presented by Mr. Mander in favour of the construction of a ligM railway from Waipu to the Whangarei Harbour. "Probably the most popular and most kindly member of this House. Ho hns reduced kindliness almost to a fault. , .'—Mr. Field on the Hon. James Carroll. "You were pulling his leg," was the very "Parliamentary" language used by tho Hon. James Carroll in an interjection in the House yesterday. Mr. Carroll was in tho position of acting-leader of the Houso at the time.