POLITICAL NOTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2543, 17 August 1893, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

" - It is stated that the women's franchise clause of the Electoral Bill will have enough to do to pass through the Legislative Council. The Twalve Apostles, as the new Councillors are called, are equally divided," on the subject. There are six on either side. A charge has been made against the Government to the effect that the Councillors were chosen so as to keep the female franchise exactly as it was, hanging between heaven and earth. This, we feel certain, is quite wrong. We know for a positive fact that no pledge whatsoever was exacted by the Government from the new councillors. They were chosen because they were considered all-round Liberals, and not because they were for or against any particular thing. There is nothing more certain, however, than that if the Council throws out the female franchise agaiD this -»ac it will do what it ought not to do. •j" - . * - business of the Council to check It is the ■ . but this quest i on naß so hasty legislation TiQ^r HoU3Q frequently passed the .. it can no longer be - „i x It has passed the Lower House five or _- times, and this is now the third time it has gone to the Legislative Council. It is our opinion, however, that its coming iuto operation ought to be delayed until after the next - election. We have no objection to women voting, but we object to some voting aud aome not voting. The time is too short to enroll them, and the consequence would be that half of them would be on the roll and half of them would not be on it. Let them get time to register and reflect; they have hitherto done without voting, and it is no groat hardship on them to keop them out uf if, a few years longer. There is no iuvoii why the «.'elay should take place, oxi'!>t the one siinplo one—there is not sufficient time to enroll them.

The Midland Railway Company is still appealing to Parliament for concessions, but it appears that the Government is not willing to give in to them. They have had many concessions already, aud wo see no reason why they should not finish their contract. A p >or contractor would not get his contract varied, but became tliey are rich and powerful they are presuming on it. The latest zeport is that they are likely to throw up thencontract altogether.

The Representation Acfc Amendment iU.ll No. 2, introduced by the Premier, provides that as soon as convenient after the dissolution of the present Parliament, the Oommi-sioners shall make a revision of the boundaries of the several electoral districts, in order to readjust them in a more compact form, having regard to communication and topographical features. Jf the districts cannot be formed consistently with the abovo considerations, the 'Commissioners may for each member to be elected make- an allowance by way of addition to, or deduction from, .the population to the extent of 1250. There are several minor provisions in the Bill in addition to these. From this it would appear that it is intended that some alteration shall take place before the General Election. We know Ihat everyone is greatly dissatisfied with tha present electorates; in fact, it has been frequently suggested that one member more should bo added to the South Island, so as to leave the old electorates as they were, and probably this is an attempt to readjust the seats. If so, Geraldine and Temuka will no doubt go together again.

_ rhe Otugo Daily Times says :■—A Bill introduced by the Minister for Lands,having for its object a transfer of the control of the education reserves from the School Commissioners to the Lands Department is just in type, and is of a character calculated to promote much interest throughout the country, more especially among those perons who identify themselves or are interested iu the administration of the public schools system of the colony. The bill provides that all endowment reserves may be brought under the operation of the Act and be vested in any corporate body or person whatsoever, whereupon the land may be leased by the local land board in the same manner as Crown rural lands, the rents to be paid to those entitled. The lease will be issued by the Land Commissioner, on behalf of the board or person in whom the land is vested. The Premier may, by Order-iu-Council, declare that any lands now or hereafter to be reserved shall be sold, subject to the provisions of the Act, and the money accruing paid over to the body or person entiled. Any moneys so released must be reinvested in land or in New Zealand securities for the benefit of the trust. The land board may grant to existing lessees priority of lease under certain conditions, including limitation of area under appraisement of rent, in terms of " The Land Act, 1892." The land board is vested with the power to issue timber licenses over the resjrves in terms of the same Act: and notwithstanding anything in " The University Endowment Act 1869," leases may be granted of lands reserved under that Act as of Crown Lands. The body or person in whom any reserve is vested an an endowment for any purpose shall, for a period of 15 years from the date of the lease thereof respectively, pay over to the county council or road board of the district within which such lands are situated one-third of the rent of the land leased under part 3 of " The Land Act 1892," and one fourth of the rent of land leased uuder part 5 of "The Land Act, 1892."

Mr Buckland has obtained leavo to bring iu a Bill to provide for the printing of oar statutes. His idea is to provide that iu case any existing statute should be amended such statute should be reprinted, so as to embody in it any amend meuts that may have been made, and the statute so printed should form one of the statutes of the colony. Mr Buckland contends if this could be given effect to there would never be more than one Act on any subject, and all the confusion arising from numerous amending laws extending over a series of years would be avoided.

Mr O'Oonor's proposed amendment of the Aliens Act is about as drastic a measure as can well be conceived. It provides that no letters of naturalisation shall be issued to persons belonging to any race whose habits aud mode of life are such as to prevent them from becoming desirable colonists, unless it is proved to the satisfaction of /the Govern or-in-Oouncil that any such persons are likely to become suitable colonists. The Governor may by proclamation declare the races that come under the foregoing section. No person but a British shall be the owner or occupier of auy shop or place for the sale of wares or food or for the manufacture of goods, nor shall anyone but a British subject act as a hawker, aud no license shall be issued to any person to act as a hawker unless such person is a British subject.