POLITICAL NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 956, 25 October 1910, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

, WHEN WILL THESESSION END? A FORECAST. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT ON ... THURSDAY. The probable date of the closing of the session is : a subjeot which is engaging a good deal of attention in .'tho lobbies. It is generally thought that without tho Land ..Bill and , the Licensing Bill there is sufficient work ahead to last at least three weeks. In usually ' u'ell-informed quarters it is bolieTed that the Licensing Bill will not'be pressed. section of .the, "trade" (so, a Dominion reporter was informed) fed that a good many people who now vote No-License would not give their vote in support of total prohibition,. The, other section seem to think that-the proposals involve too much risk. As. regards the No-License party little can be gathered as to the intentions of its representatives in Parliament if the /Bill coines iip for/consideration. That the Land Bill will come up for its second reading—probably earl)' this week—may bo taken for granted. But will it: go any further? There is a strong opinion 'among members on both sides that it will riot be ; allowed to reach the Statute Book in ; its present form. Rumours are abroad that the Government intend to make concessions to'the Opposition, with a view to getting their support. It is stated that the leasing proposals Will be made optional on the part of the owner instead of compulsory. If such were done a good deal of objection from the point of view of tho Opposition would be removed. Tho Opposition' would'then, it is thought, en-deavour-to improve' the /freehold proposals ~ in, the , measure, and generally make ■ the Bill more acceptable to their supp'orteTS : 'through6ut the country. It is understood that ■'• the ■ Radical element will attempt to block tlie Bill if the leasing proposals are altered! More than one ; meinber of that -section' declares -that he intends to move that the -value of an estate '.which may, be so taken be materially -reduced.*- ....',''.,' v There are,' quite'- a number - of. other measures which will take up a fair amount of discussion. Foremost among these are the Gaming Bill, and the Land and.lncome 'fax Amendment Bill. -Others which/may be ..mentioned are the Harbours Bill,' Native • Rating Bill, Crown Suits'Bill, and Electoral Bill. The Public Work's ./Statement- is expected, to be brought down on' Thursday.' . Should the Government decide to go on with the Licensing Bill and Land:;Bill, the session cannot possibly• end v/ithin-the.next month or'five,-weeks. ,

■.BILLS BEFORE COMMITTEES. /• It is understood that tho ; Committee of the Legislative Council, which, was'set Up to consider the .matter,of State banking; has'.heard a.large-quantity of evidence, and will submit its report within the next few' days;*- , ' There are quite a number of witnesses in town to give evidence before the Gaming Committee. , t ,:Some. have ,como from .distant ./portions,, of "'the .' It is:not considered likely, that the report of thev.committee .will-betsubmitted before the, end of the week.

•PATEA; NATIVE LAND MATTER. / Representatives of. -. the . Ngatitupito (Patea) tribe of. Natives, led ..by the -Rev. Mr. Hammond, waited- on ; the. Prime Minister .yesterday, with' a request for. the : return'-'-to them .of- certain'areas 01 laud which' had; passed ; from their possession many'years ago. The land, which had -been, used-for ■■ tribal .burial ■■ grounds and other sacred purposes, had become vested in' certain harbour ' and'.educational boards.' The deputation asked for the return of the property, or; that: land of equal value elsewhere, or 'monetary payment as compensation,.. should be given. Sir Joseph Ward promised' fci' have the matter/looked into ; as-soon/as. possible. '

'.THE UNiyERsiTY,.SYSTEM. The total income of the New Zealand Universities for the year 1908 amounted t0■■"..£60,560, according to Mr. -]?. ;M. B. Fisher,';M.P. Out of this tojpl, £30,700 was divided between CanterDUiy and Otago, whilst the North Island "Universities only, divided £18,180. • Whilst: he has no desire to take away one, penay from the southeru'universities,' Mr. Fisher says he is sure that our system'' is being Gtarved.. The two southern universities possessed, endowments yielding £17,340, per. annum, -.whereas their .northern, sisters' endowments yielded a paltry £550. In all, £32,000 was spent on 720 students in the' south, whilst £17,000. was /spent; on Tra'werb corap'elled to haye':'four universities for a. population of a million people, but this should not necessarily, mean starvation.'■Ho considered that the whole was wrong; ; There; were too many governing and not onough cooperation amongst tho 143 persons who directly,. university- life. -We might produce/ such nibn'; as. Professor Rutherford, but wo could; not hope to letain their services. under present conditions. Germany was building up her power in; the laboratory more than in her dockyards;; It was the best equipped and most scientifically' trained, /nation that would ultimaiely>win; and we should not lag behind in,/such matters. Science meant, as much to-us as :to any. other, country, for ■ we. abounded in natural resources, / and': .required ■ that special knowledge'.which'only "science could supply. The Government should, in ' his opinion, set up. a commission to inquire /into our university, system, and let us found the basis on a solid comprehension of the experiences of older countries. In' the. past, tho Government had done well. In the future, they. must: do better." It was. money Well spent. '. ~..-..