POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 506, 5 October 1912, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

COUNTRY TERRITORIALS

The Hon. J. Allen states in reply to Mr Malcolm, that where considered more convenient it is proposed to allow Territorials in country districts to undergo training in camp for four days immediately preceding the annual seven days in lieu of twenty attendances at drills. An amendment to give effect to this will be made in the Defence regulations. LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES.

A return was tabled on Wednesday by the Hon. Jas. Allen showing what applications have been made by local authorities under the State Guaran teed Advances Act since the inception of the loans to local bodies scheme in 1909 till the present. A total of £4,595,210 has been applied for. Of this amount £2,794,408 was provisionally approved, and £2,079,620 finally approved, £1,567,877 being declined. The total of actual payments made during the period was £1,340,405. THE WAIHI STRIKERS.

Replying to a question in the House of Representatives the other day, the Minister for Justice said the Waihi strike prisoners now in gaol are there because of their refusal to find sureties to keep the peace required by a magistrate in the proper exercise of his jurisdiction, upon clear proof that they had committed acts calculated to provoke a breach of the peace. They can release themselves by finding sureties in accordance with the judgment of the court. The Gor vernment has no power to release them unless they are prepared to advise his Excellency the Governor that the judgment of the magistrate was erroneous or not justified by the evidence, or that circumstances have arisen since the judgment whjch have materially altered the position with which the court dealt, and the Government cannot so advise.