NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1203, 11 August 1911, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

NEW BILLS. COAL MINERS AMENDMENT BILL. THE STATE AS DEALER. One of the proposals of the Coal Miners Amendment Bill, introduced by the Hon. I!. M'kenzie,- will enable- the State to enter into even keener competition with the vendors of fuel. Tho Minister proposes that the State may sell coal obtained from other than State mines, and may also purchase and sell coke and firewood. Tho Bill also proposes to determine the period within which applications for coal leases or licenses are to l:e finally disposed of at six months from the filing of the applications. In special circumstances, and with the consent of tho Minister, this period may be extended. The operation of the Miners' Relief lund are to be a function of the Public Trustee, in accordance with regulations to be made. Under the principal Act, the Minister is associated with the Public Trustee in this matter.

MINING AMENDMENT ACT. MINERAL OIL. The Mining Amendment Act, introduced by the Hon. R. M'lCenzie, empowers tin Governor to issue Orders-in-Council extending any of tha provisions of the Mining Act, J!.'OS, so as to apply them to prospecting, wining for ami storing petroleum, and other mineral oils and natural (jas, and to define tho districts within which such Order-in-Coumil shall take effect. Compensation shall not be , payable in respect of the vahis of oil or g.15 taken under thcfs provisions from land the owners of which have conf-entod to the issue of a prospecting warrant. Regulations to control these operations may be made by Order-in-Council.

Under the original Act, the warden could only issue prospecting warrants in respect of Crown lands: this power is to bo extended to all lands , , subject to tho consent of the owner and lessee, if any. Tho Minister's consent, to the issue of a water-race license is no longer to bs necessary except where more than twenty heads of water arc required to be taken froni within a mining district to a plac? outside it. . Lea.-es and licenses for prospecting for mineral oils and natural gas on education reserves and endowments may be granted on certain conditions. BOUNTY ON FRUIT, According to Mr. Fhillipps there is a foaling among Dominion fruitgrowers that the bounty of one penny per pound now paid on fruit exported to Kuropo will not bo paid next year. Ho is to ask the Minister for Agriculture whether the bounty will be continued. EXPORT OF CEREALS. Mr. Craigie is suggesting to the Minister, for Agriculture that, in tbo interests of -Dominion farmers, he should cause to be compiled each year in November a return showing the areas sown in different cereals throughout the country. It is important, the questioner states, that farmers should havo access to these particulars, in order that they may avoid an over-shipment of grain exports. NEW ZEALAND ARMS. Information as to tho arms of New Zealand is being'sought by Mr. Massey. He remarks that, according to the London "Times" of Juno. 23, tho New Zealand arms had just been approved, and were to bo carried in tho Coronation procession. EAST COAST RAILWAY. .Mr. 'J. V. Brown will ask the Minister for Public Works as to the truth of the following paragraph which appeared in The Dominion': "At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, held this week at Hastings, Mr. A. L. D. Fraser said that ho had the authority of the- Minister for Public Works for stating that this year's Estimates would contain a vote of for tho East Coast railway."

QUESTIONS. An increase in the number of the judges of the Native Land Court is., suggested by Mr. Macdonald in a question addressed to the Native Minister. Mr. Ell is asking the Government to consider the question of setting aside endowments for Hospital and Charitable Aid purpose?. Mr. K. A. Wriight is tn ask that the pay of night-watchmen employed by tho Government shall be increased from Bs. to fls. per night. Supporting the claim, he points out that they are called upon lo act ia the additional capacity of cleanera. Mr. Okey is inquiring of the Minister for Mines when he intends to lay before Parliament tho report of Mr. J. D. Henry upon the prospects of the petroleum industry in tho Dominion. Mr. J. Vigor-Brown is urging that military veterans should bo grunted military pensions in lieu of Old Ago Pensions. The Hon. T. Y. Duncan is seeking information in regard to fodder for starving stock supplied by the Government. In view of the high cost of living in the back-blocks. Air. Hino is suggesting that the Minister , for Public. Works should either increase the schedule rates paid for work on roads and railways in Mich districts or supply live necessaries of life at cost price to the workers. Colonists who have resided almost continuously in New Zealand for upwards nf forty years, but have been away from tho country for a. larger period than four years in the la-st quarter of a century, jire unahle to claim the old ago pension. Mi , . Anderson, M.T'., is to ask the Government, in making any future amendment of tho Old Age Pensions Act, to includo a provision enabling such people to receivo a. pension.