POLITICAL NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 September 1924, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

NO PURCHASES

LAND FOR. SETTLEMENT

(By Telegraph.—Special to Star)

~ , WELLINGTON, Sept. 12. Although in past years lNew /.eataud has expended nearly £ia 3 {j<JU,tKJ<j iri tiie purchase or t>2o estates under the land ror settlement system, last year the purchase operations were almost nil. it was mentioned m a report that estates, aggregating 32,027 acres, were ottered to tne Government, but the report gives no indication ot purchase as a lesult. it states that altnough during the year a number of properties in various parts oi the Dominion have been placed under offer to the Department for the purposes of settlement, the- area purchased has been relatively small ike chief reason for this, apart rr°in the entire unsuitability in some cases, is the comparatively nigh price still being asked by the vendors for lands suitable for subdivision. While admitting that the- present prices for almost tlie whole of our exportable primary products justifies a certain amount of optimism, it would be unsafe to venture upon anything approaching a large purchasing policy until export prices are proved to be of a more stable nature. This is perhaps 1)101 e particularly the case in regard to purely sheep country, for which, at present, there exists a, considerable demand.

ANIMAL PESTS. It is stated by the Director of the I orest Service that present measures ror the control of deer have not proved altogether effective. Protection was removed from some 11,250 square miles, and a subsidy of £IOOO to be paid as a bonus on deer destroyed was voted by Cabinet and distributed among acclimatisation districts on a pro rata basis, according, to the number of deer estimated by the forest service to be m each district. The effect which the removal of protection and the payment of a. bonus will have in reducing deer it is as yet too. early to state in figures. The general opinion among landholders in the districts recently visited is that the depredations will be greatly alleviated and much good will result.

The Department of Lands and Agriculture and the Forest Service joined financial forces last year to make a. beginning of reducing the number of wild pigs in Wliangamomona County, Taranaki province. As a. result, and through the payment of Is per snout to local settlers, 4781 pigs were destroyed. It is recognised that this assistance is helpful in assisting fanners of the region to. deal with this pest, and it is proposed to considerably extend the grant in order to deal with other badly-infested areas. BOY AND GIRL MOTORISTS.

The need for stricter tests before motorists’ driving licenses are issued was emphasised by Mr Wilford ip the House to-night, when discussing the Motor Vehicles Bil,l. There was no question that drivers were not thoroughly tested, he said. It was the same in New Zealand as in other countries. 'He thought the age limit of fifteen should be increased.

Several members: Hear, hear! Mr Wilford said that boys arid girls of fifteen were too young to receive licenses. There were capable boys and girls, but driving was nbf everything, and the question of resource in time of trouble was what counted. He suggested the raising of the age of applicants.

The Hon. J. G. Coates pointed out that it was desirable that the population should have the opportunity to learn to drive as early as possible.' His experience was that auite a number of young people. hn.d fairly level heads, and it became a second nature for them to see immediately what to do to. overcome the difficulty.