INTERVIEWING THE PREMIER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1528, 21 December 1886, Page 4

INTERVIEWING THE PREMIER.

Three deputations waited , on the Premier at Dunedin on Saturday. The first one was from the Presbyterian body representing the hardshipvof .having the widows or, orphans and aged/ ministers funds 'subject to, -the Property-Tax. .The Premier pointed ,oiut that Governmentihad no control over the .Property-Tax officer,who, if he neglected toi,collect the tax where it should be collected, could beheld personally liable the Audit office. The second deputation represented the hardship of small freeholders being debarred frcim selecting ;,i.<: .;mder the homestead system. The Premier said the Goverment could hot alter the, law without parliamentary sanction. He thought that for people with, small means the-, village, settlement system offered far more, facilities, as Government helped the settler to build his house, up to £27, and employed him in doing it. :He was in favour of extending the area under the village settlement, system, so that a family could have as much as 100 or 150 acres of rough land, but he.would, not any modification of the homestead system as he did;not think any good could come out of the system. The third deputation a&kedthat the immigration barracks, be handed over to provide additional accommodation in connection with the benevolent institution, pointing out that they were at their wits' ends to supply accommodation. The Premier said he was against giving over the! barracks, as they did not.know when they would be wanted for immigrants;*,. He suggested that they adopt the boarding-out system,or if the Charitable Aid Board raised half the cost of a building Governmentwould give the other half. ■