Political Questions and Answers.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43379, 29 September 1908, Page 2

Political Questions and Answers.

By the supplementary Order Paper just to hand we notice the following : - Mr Homes to ask the Government? Whether they will biing in legislation this session to satisfy the numerous unsettled military claims left over or undealt with by the last Commission that inquired into the matter P Reply.—The following Commissions have already been set up, each of which was to be the final investigation into such claims : Colonel Haultain’s Commission m 1882 ; under “ Ihe Naval and Military Settlers’ and Volunteers’ Land Act, 1888,” claims to be sent in by the 31st December, 181)0 ; under a similar Act in 1891, claims to be sent in by the 30th June, 1892; under a similar Act in 1892, claims to be sent in by the 31st March, 1893; aud under “ The Naval and Military Settlers’ Claims Extinguishment Act, 1896,” the latest date up to which claims could be sent in being the Ist December, 1896, It will thus be seen that every claimant has had ample opportunity of placing his claims before the proper authority. Consequently, I can only repeat what was stated to similar questions in 1905 and 1906, “ That it was clearly understood when the last Commission was set up that it would be the final opportunity of investigating the claims which should have been sent in many years ago,” Mr Herries to ask the Minister of Lands, Whether he does not think 'the time has arrived when the provisions of “ The Mining Districts Land Occupation Act, 1894,” can be made more liberal, so that an increased area can be taken up by miners and others, and a quantity of otherwise profitless land brought into cultivation ? Reply. —The honourable member is probably unaware that special regulations to enable miners to occupy pastoral lands within mining districts, in areas of between 25 and 1,000 acres, were published some years ago, and a perusal of the same will show that they meet the requirements of miners and others in the direction indicated. The regulations appeared in the following Gazettes : Hauraki Mining District, on the 2nd March, 1905 ; Marlborough Mining District, on the 17th December, 1903, and the 12th January. 1905 ; Westland Mining District (Nelson Land District), on the Bth September, 1904 ; Westland Mining District (Westland Land District), on the 29th October, 1903, and the 12th January, 1905. „ Mr Herries te ask the Minister in charge of Tourist and Health Resorts, Whether his attention has been called to the lengthy horns worked by bathattendants at Rotorua, and does he not think that the Department in that respect is understaffed ? Reply. —During the time occupied in arranging and shifting into the new bath buildings it was found necessary for the staff to work longer hours than usual in order that the public should not be iuconvenienced ; this, however, was merely a temporary arrangement, and the normal hours have been reverted to.