POLITICAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 80, 25 September 1911, Page 2

POLITICAL.

j THE TAUMARUNL'I SEAT. j By Telegraph—Press Association, i Waita'ra, Saturday. Mr. W. Forbes, who announced him- | self as Oppositionist candidate for Taumaninui, delivered the opening address of the campaign last evening. He practically adopted the Opposition platform, mentioning being in favor of the method of straightening up the finances, freehold land tenure, civil service reform. On the liquor question lie favored a Dominion poll rather than local option and a • bare majority vote, lie is against the Defence Act as it stands, contending there should be a conscience clause. He received a vote of thanks. i j OLD SOLDIERS' GRAVES. Mr. W. T. Jennings asked the GovcrnI ment whether any applications for a portion of the sum of £IOOO voted on | last year's estimates for repairing and renovating old soldiers' graves had been | sent in by any boroughs or local bodies. The Minister for Defence replied that provision was ma-de on last year's defence appropriations for the sum of £2OO only, for the renovation of military graveyards and headstones. Of this sum, £lO had been espended. No applications had been received by the Defence Department ■ from boroughs or local bodies in this connection. BLACK SAND DEPOSITS. Mr. T. Y. Seddon on Wednesday asked the Minister of Mines whether he would favorably consider the suggestion that a bonus be placed upon the estimates for any person who invented a successful method of working the black sand deposits? The Minister's reply was that a bonus of £2OOO for appliances to successfully save gold from black sands was offered for a period ol over two years—namely, from November, 1901, to January 1, 1904—without any responses being received, and he did not think any better result would be experienced if the same bonus \vere offered again. As a matter oif fact, the Teturn that would accrue from the successful working of the black sand would probably be so great as to constitute the best bonus itself, without the necessity of any artificial stimulus from the State. SEXUAL OFFENDERS. The Government, said the Prime Minister in reply to Mr. J. P. Luke on Wednesday, did not considar it necessary to introduce further legislation at the present time on the question of sexual offences against young children. The Prime Minister pointed out that under the existing legislation severo punishment could be imposed.