GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3558, 18 July 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Telegraph.]

{From our own Correspondent.)

July 17. The Forests Bill provides that LIO,OOO shall be paid for ten years annually out of the consolidated fund, in aid of planting of forests. After December 31, 1904, the excess of receipts over expenditure is to be annually applied to repayment to the consolidated fund of monies paid thereon on the cost of construction of Colonial railways, and the res* in reduction of the public debt contracted up to the end of 1901. One of the responsible Minist rs to be Commissioner of State of Forests ; the Conservator of Forests to be appointed by the Governor for four years; after the expiry of the first term his salary is to be determined by the Assembly, The Commissioner may ■elect waste lands for State forests not exceeding three per cent, of the area of a Province. The Commissioner is to avoid selecting lands near towns devoted to agricultural purposes, or available for goldmining. If the Superintendent is dissatisfied with this selection, the matter is to be referred to arbitration ; and if no award is made within six months, it is to be the subject of fresh arbitration. If that fails on report to the Assembly, the award of final costs is to be in the discretion of the arbitrator. * In the North Island the selection may b» postponed if there is a prospect of more suitable land being acquired from the Natives. Other waste lands may, by agreement with the Superintendents, be set aside aq State forests, and towns may be constituted within the State forests. The Provinces are not tp be chargeable with sinking fund or principal on loans for railway construction, nor for interest after December, 1904, or such earlier date as may be determined, and thereafter all loan liabilities in respect to railways are to be Colonial liabilities. Conservators ef forests may apprehend offenders without warrant, aid persons found on proclaimed land in possession (? of fallen timber) are liable to apprehension and penalty. The necessity for the Judges’ Pension Bill is caused by the early retirement of the Chief-Justice. According to the present 4ct, were Judge Aruey to retire now, he would get L 566 annually instead of LBSO. Under the proposed Bill, Puisne Judges after fifteen years’ service, tyould have LSOO instead of L 750, under the proposed Bill.