POLITICAL NOTES.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 594, 16 August 1913, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

In the House of Representatves on Wednesday, Mr V. Reed asked the Minister for Lands whether he will alter the present system of valuing Crown lands by the Land Department when opaning the same for selection, and substitute therefore valuations made by She Valuation Department. Mr Massey replied: In view of the fact °that extreme values appear to have been placed upon certain blocks of Crown iand opened for settlement during the last few years the Government has under consideration a proposal to have all valuations of lands about to be opened checked by the Valuer-General.

The member for Timaru, Mr Craigie, asked the Min'ster in charge of Nat ; ve Affairs: Whether he will cause inquries to be made into the reports that syndicates and speculators are acquiring large areas of native land by dummying, and aggregating such areas into the hands of a tew by means of transfers and assignments? Whether he will in any measure dealing with tha native land laws this session, make provision for the prevention of dummying andfaggrfgation in the future'.' Mr Hemes replied: The department is not aware that the position is as slated, but if any case 3 are brought to its notice necessary inquiries will be made. Every available precaution has already been taken, but the matter will receive further consideration when the proposed legislation is being drafted.

Mr C. K. Wilson with other members representing districts where large areas of native lands have been leased under the Native Land Act. 1909, when the State Advances Bill was before the House, made a strenuous attempt to get this type of lease brought under the Act. so that settlers could get loans under that Act. He pointed out the serious handicap it was to settlers who had taken up land under those leases under special legislation of the 1909 session, and after spending a considerable amount of capital find themselves unable to get advances because oE the condition of the lease. The Minister of Finance has promised that if the defect in the leases can be arranged the Government wi'l make provision to bring this class of lease uridei the Act.

A deputation from the Pahiai.ua Racing Club waited on the Prims Minister and the Hon. H. D. Bell, on Thursday, and urged that the club should be given the two days' racing, of which it had been deprived as the result of the Racing Coinmission's°report. It was suggested that two days could be taken off Woodvilie, and that it would not be unreasonable to take a day off Palnmrston North. The Prime Minister said he had a good deal of sympathy with the ir'ahiatua Club. He thought it had a griev-

ance, but it was not always easy to remedy a grievance. The number of days' racing could not be increased without an Act of Parliament. He had promised to give Mr Hunter an opportunity of moving the second reading of this Bill, and until the fate of that Bill was decided it was impossible for him to' say whether Pahiatua's'request could be acceded to.