DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 170, 1 August 1901, Page 3

DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS.

OPENING UP THE BACK BLOOKS. OREPUKI SHALE WORKS. ILUB-DIVISION OF LARGE ESTATES. PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wellington Jfcly 31, Two deputations from districts outaide of Warora pa waited on the Premier and the Minister for Public Works to-day to urge upon them the necessity of facilitating' tbe laying down of lioes to open up the back alosks and afford tet tiers an opportunity of developing thoir selections. To one deputation, which sought to secure the services of the Government in instituting au electric tramway frotri Pahiatua to Makuri, the Premier said the people interestfd should come down with something dr-ficit?. The best thing wiuld bato submit a Bill to Parliament giving local bodies power to pledge p oparties and rates for the undiriaking. The Premier replied in the same strain to a deputation regarding a light line of railway from Masterton ' to Weber. Ano har duplication waited on the i Premier in r*f.*i en'ce to the disabilities i under which the Orapuki Kerosene and I Shale Compmy suffered, It was urged that the abolition of a duty on kerosene and paraffin wax had resu'ted in a loss to tbe company of £95,000. B fore tbe alteration in the duties was made last year a sum of £75,000 had been spent in machinery. The cott of raising the ril was llf l, aoda'l obtainable was 7d per gallon. The payment of a bonus wan suggested. Tbe Premier n p'ied that until the company showed it bad earned a bonus he could wot commit, the Government to any obligations in the matter. In lvply to a deputation of single tixers, Mr. Seddnn said that Urge es'ates we:e inc/easing, despite tbe nu . ber which bad been acquired for Sriuleroent. Tba indention of Parliament, tj compel tho sub division of esta'es being defeated, Tho Cabinet whs, he inUn.ated, now considering tho whole question, in connection wiih a in tho mortgage tax and an i o.ease in ihe graduated land tax. |