Departmental News.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 149, 23 December 1896, Page 2

Departmental News.

Selections ot land for workmen's villages in the neighbourhood of the large centres have been decided upon. The Minister of lands has given instructions to the officers of his department to proceed along the railway lines and select suitable lands for this purpose. New regulations for the disposal of land under the Land for Settlements Act have been adopted, and will be published in the course of a few days. It has been decided, in respect to the future payments for the maximum salaries, that governors and first-class goalers shall be reduced from £400 to £300, and second-class goalers from £300 to £250. Petitions which have been received from Christchurch for the release of Louis Cbemis, Miss Flanagan and another were considered, and it was ultimately decided that the matter should be held over until the first full meeting of the Cabinet after the New Year. Applications have been made for the refunds of deposits at the general election, and Government have decided that, as they have no power given by law to rerund, the requests must be declined. Application has also been made by the debenture-holders in the Midland Railway Company asking for an extension of time for tbe payment of moneys claimed as payment for tbe work done by the Government. Tbe Government haying no power to make the extension as requested, have notified the Company their regret at not being able to accede to tbe request. An enlarged plan for the Marton Courthouse has been decided upon, and the additional amount required has been passed, and tenders called for the work. — Times.