POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 222, 5 January 1910, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

Review of the Session. Sir Joseph- Ward passe'd through Cbristchurch on his way. South on Saturday. In the course of an interview he dealt at length with the work of the session. He said that it wa3 anticipated by some people that the holding of [ the session •so late in the year would result in comparatively little work being accomplished, but in the light of the results, the most fastidious critic must recognise that this had not been the case. The work done in the first working session after the general election, easily establishes a fEeord in this country, and the legislation passed, in his judgment, was of far-reaching consequence and importance. The recasting of the whole system of finance, under which the necessary funds will be raised, for the advances to settlers, advances to workers, loans to local bodieSj the purchase of estates under the Lands for Settlement Act, and for the purchase of native lands, was a revolution which would aid materially in strengthening all interests dealt with by the several departments. Had Parliament succeeded in accompishing nothing else than establishing this greatly improved financial system, the session would have been a memorable one. "

In referring to the new Defence Act, the .Prime Minister said that though a system of universal training had been spoken of and advocated in other parts of the British Empire for several years past, New Zealand-was the first to pass legislation which provides the reality. He also referred to the fact that New Zealand had incorporated the boy scouts as part of the defence system, a thing that no other part of the Empire had done. The regulations necessary to give effect to the establishment of a system of universal training, would be put in hand without delay. A committee would be appointed after the holidays, to visit both islands in order to select a suitable area of land upon which a permanent structure is to be erected, and where training will be continously in operatipp. V Jn speakiner of the lands for settlement system, Sir Joseph Ward remarked that since the Act came into, operation, up to the present, no less than 12 estates had been acquired compulsorily. This spoke eloquently in justification of the statement that the Government did not ruthessly force people to sell their lands whether they liked it or not. As a matter of fact, there was comparatively no necessity for the compulsory sections of the Act being used, as experience had demonstrated that much more land was offered all over the country than the full limitof money provided by Parliament wofild permit of being acquired. • In alluding to other legislation passed, Sir Joseph spoke of the improvement in the law in regard to the pprcbase of native lands, the Hospitals apd Charitable Aid Act, ancj_ of the law .affecting friendly societies. In re ipect to the Dreadnought, he remarked that it was a matter for gratification that no division had been called for in the House on t&at important matter, 88 it showed the world that whatever differences they had in = minor, or even major political matters, they were at one when it came to the question of helping the great British Empire, and its widely-distributed interests. .