NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1210, 19 August 1911, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

HINE CHARGES. THE COMMITTEE'S RECOMMENDATION. Mr. Mas-ey is to ask the Government whether they intend this .session to give effect to the recommendation of the committee on the allegations made by tho honourable member for Stratford, as follows:—"The committee is of opinion that legislation should be passed making it illegal for. a member of Parliament to act on his own behalf or on bphalf of any other person in negotiating the sale of an estate to the Crown." ANTIQUATED METHODS. Allegations that antiquated methods are followed in the construction of the South Island Main Trunk line by co-operative labour are mentioned ;n a question which is to .be addressed by Mr. Pearce to the Minister for Public Works. The member for Patea is to ask whether statements made by Mr. D. Jones relativo to this matter ar? correct, ami, if so. whether the methods criticised will ba altered. ' OIL LANDS AND VALUATIONS. Mr. Okey suggests, in a question ho is to ask the Minister in charge of tho Valuation Department, that the finding of oil or minerals in a district should not bo considered in. valuing lands for rating. He states that a large number of farmers in tho Taranaki district, have, in order to encourage prospecting for oil, given the boring rights over their properties to syndicates for,. twenty-five jears,. at a peppercorni r-sait,-Avith- -a right to-a per cent, of the crude oil. The fact of oil being found in th-s district has had tho effect of considerably raising tho seSinjr value of tliEsa lands, which are only used for grazing and general farming purposes; therefore, it will be a hardship on the farmers if they have to pay rates on these increassd values. QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS. It is alleged that the State Guaranteed Advances Department declines to advanoe money to settlers upon the Hauraki Plains. Mr. Massey is to ask the Minister in charge of the Department to state what the reason is for this. exceptional 'treatment. • Mr. Poland is to ask the Governnient to introduce legislation to restrict mining eharebrokers to the legitimate business of buying and selling scrip, and to prevent gambling now carried on by overselling shares.