POLITICAL NOTES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8264, 18 October 1906, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

MOKE -MINISTERS. When the Ward Ministry was ; formed there was a rumour in oir- • eolation to the effect tbat the number of Ministers was to be increased. A reminder of Ibis statement was i .given in tbe House on Tuesday when the Executive Council Bill was introduoed by Governor's Message, tbe title of which ia:—"An Ant to amend tbe lav; relating to diequali- > fioatiou iu the case of members of the Executive Council."' There aie t only two' ulauses 1 iu. the Bill, the principal'poiiita providing for an j-inoreasß iu the number of members •of the .Executive Council from ten to twelve, "of which number two moat be Maorie or half-castes." When the Bill was introduced Mr Massey asked what were tbe oiroumstances which led up to the introduction of the Bill. /' The Premie'.' explained that as the llaw now stood, u' a European was appointed as a member of the Exeoutive Council in the Legislative Assembly, then the AttorneyGeneral bwiame a Civil servant, and lost his -salary. The Bill prcposed to fix t'be number of the Exeoutive Ooaaoii at li membars, of whicb two, must be Maoris or. half-castes, and it removed an existing inconsistency which would • not admit of an appointment be- .. ing made, witho-.it tbe Attoruey- • Genernl losing hia salary. Ucoer the operative clause of tbe Bill the number of members was fixed at 12 instead of 10; 1 Mr Massey: Tins;is giving the ; Government power to appoint two more Ministers. The Premier: Yes, that is so; but it 18 not increasing the number of paid Ministers. Mr Massey: There is nothing to" prevent this House appointing these • extra members." I S«r Joseph Ward: Two might be ■ appoinled by this House or two from Ihe Upper Hou?e. THE MILLION LOAN. The rtid to Public Works and .Land Settlement Bill (tbe Premier), was brought down to the House, oo Tuesday afternoon, by Governor's Message. The Hill makes provision for raising a loan of one million .i pounde, for the following purposes: —£150,000 for the construction of 'the Kawakawa.GrHbnmtowD, Helensville Northwards, GisborWßotorua, Egmon* branch, Stratford - Kawa kawa, Marton-Te Awamatu, Blenheim- Waipara, Midland, Greymouibflokitika (extension to Boss), West port-loaigatua, Fgahere-Blackball, Otago Central, Lawrence-Roxburgh, Oatlius -Seaward Bush, RiversdaleSwitzers, Orepuke-Waiau railways, permanent way and other materials; •£75,000 for additional rolllug 3tock for open lines, and such other works and' purposes in oonneotion therewith as may be authorised; £400,000 for the construction' of roads, tracks and bridges for the purpose of opening up baokblooks for land settlement; £25,000 for goldfields development; aad £50,000 iu respeot of telegraph extension. Not more "than 4>£ percent, interest is to be paid for'the sums to be raised under the loan.