NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1245, 29 September 1911, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

FOXTON WHARF. j PURCHASE BY BOARD POSTPONED. The Foxton Harbour Board Bill was withdrawn yesterday as the outcome of a conference, "at Parliament Buildings on Wednesday, between its opponents and supporters. The conference was attended by Messrs. Cloodbehere (Mayor) and Tolley, Feilding; Messrs. Henne.-sy (chairman) and Moore (solicitor), Foxton Harbour Board; M.r. J. G. Wilson, Manawatu Couuty Council; Mr. Gardiner, Levin; and Messrs. Newman, Field, and Gutlu-ie, M.P.'s. Mr. Newman was in charge of the Bill. The principal objection to the Bill was raised by the people of Feilding. After full discussioci it was dccidcd that it was advisable that the Bill should be held over temporarily, in order that some understanding might bo arrived at in regard to the apportionment of charges, under its provision?. As it stands, the object of tho Bill is to enable the Foxton Harbour Board to form ( a rating area to provide tho funds required for the purchase of the Foxton wharf from the Jtaijway Department. The amount involved is ,020,000, and the Bill proposes that a commissioner should bo appointed by tho Government to allocate the contributions of the local bodies within the rating area. It was decided, at the conference, to take advantage of Standing Order Ul.t, which permits tho Bill to be held over without any troll advertiiimr expenses being incurred when

it is reintroduced next session. The promotors of the Bill hope that, next year olulaclcs to its passage will be overcome. H is not anticipated that it will be necessary to collect any rate, as enough will probably lie returned in wharfages ami other charges to cover interest on I lie loan which the board will have to rai.-e in order to buy the wharf from the Kailway Department. .Mr. Newman states that the Government will make a largo profit on the sale of the wharf. Tlicy will not sell it to the board at cost, hut •it a price arrived at by capitalising the annual income from wharfages, etc. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. Replying yesterday to a deputation of South Canterbury members, who urged the acquisition of estates for closer settlement in that district, the Prime Minister said that 0110 of the difficulties in the way of acquiring land for settlement was that some people would only sell at prices considerably above tho Government valuation—in some eases up to J:10 an acre more. There had been an effort to extract from tho Government a price beyond what the land would yield, and the Government had to chango the system to enable lands to bo acquired and the settlers to make a living. He promised to ask tho Chairman of (he Land Purchase Board to report on cer-tain-South Canterbury lands. THE ABSENCE OF MR. KAIHAU. Mr. Hennre Kaihau, the member for Western .Maori, lias not appeared in tho House of .Representatives this session. Yesterday afternoon Mr. Glover (Auckland Central) asked for a further leave of absence for Mr. Kaihau of fourteen days, on account of tlie member's serious illness. Mr- W. T. Jennings (Taumarunui) said that it was time the House .asserted itself in regard to the continued absence of Mr. Kaihau. (Members: Hear, hear.) Ho bad undertaken a duty which he was not discharging, because be was constantly absent from the House. Mr. Jennings suggested that the Prime Minister should take action in the matter. He objected to leave being granted without lioticc.

The Speaker said he would take a notice of motion for the desired leave, but the matter could not "bo discussed since objection had been made. Mr. Glover gave notice. The Hon. A. T. Ngata (Eastern Maori) said Mr. Kaihau had been confined to his bed for weeks past. Mr. Massey: How many weeks? When was he last in Auckland? .Mr. Ngata: He has been in bed for three iveeksAt this point the Speaker stopped tho discussion, which, he said, must be postponed until the motion, of which notice had been given, came before the House. PETITION. One hundred e.nd thirty-six electors of Waikino have petitioned Parliament to make the Goldminors' lielief Fund Act retrospective. They also ask that favourable consideration should be given to tho case of the late James A. M'Kenna, who died in July from miners' disee.se, lea\> ing a .widow and four young children in very straitened circumstances.