POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 229, 21 September 1908, Page 3

POLITICAL.

Tile Fire Brigades Amendment Bill, .which has been introduced in the. Legislative Council by the Hon. Dr. Findlay, provides that a proposal by a local authority to apply for dissolution of "a Fire Board must be submitted to a poll of the ratepayers. This is already required when a new Fire Board is proposed to be created. It is further provided in the Bill that in either of Mieee cases the proposal shall not be deemed to be carried, unless at least one-third of the ratepayers have validly exercised Uieir votes. Suction 4 gives a Fire Board power to take land under *ne Public Works Act for a fire brigade station. Section G' repeals existing borrowing powers, and provides tua,t a Board requiring money for acquiring land, erecting or improving buildings, purchasing plant -or paying oir loans, may raise a loan, whether on a bank overdraft or by the issue of debentures, or in such manner as the Board thinks St . The total amount borrowed and for the time being remaining unpaid, »ust not at any time excevd XSOOo) •xcept in the case ot a loan raised for the purpose of paying off a previous loan. The member for the Eastern Maori district, Mr. A. T. Ngata, is a staunch advocate of the right of the Maori to deeidu whether liquor shall be supplied to Maoris within the Maori electoral districts or Maori Council districts, and has asked Sir Joseph Ward Whether oe will this year introduce an amendment to Ihe Licensing Act in this di- ' Taction.

"The increase in the cost of livin" is not accounted for by the increase" of wages," said Mr. G. Laurenson in the House of Representatives uu Thursday night. "During the last, twelve years the increase in wages has amounted to 17.9 per cent, this covering all wage earners, industrial, transport, agricultural, pastoral, distributing, and" professional; This means an actual increase over the whole hody of workers of about £,3500,000, as against what would have heen drawn »y the same' number of work-era seventeen vears «go. On the other land, the increase in the value of land during those seventeen years has been at the rate of ! £4,750,000 per year, and the interest, on that eaormous sum' has to be borne by the community. The annual increased charge for rr.lerest on the vaof about .£3,500,000, as against what ft charge of £25 10s every year on a.' fcmily of seven. The cost of living Has been increased much more by the increase in land values than by the increase in wages."