POLITICAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8478, 4 July 1907, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES AND COMMENTS.

(From Our Parliamentary Corres-

pondent.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. This evening Mr Hogg presented a petition from a number of residents of Masterton and surrounding district inviting attention to the large area of native lands, a considerable part of which are suitable for close settlement, now held on lease, which will shortly expire. It is urged that the land is suitable for dairy farming, and would • hold a considerable population. The petitioners ask that as the lessees are doing little with the land the Government should remove it from the lessees and cut it up into suitable sites for homesteads for people who are landless. Mr Hogg also presented a petition from persons engaged in local industries within the Borough of Masterton praying for the repeal of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act on the ground that Labour Union agents in the cities constantly stir up strife in the country districts, and make demands upon country industries which, if acceded to, would ruin them. The petitioners contend that the Act as now constituted is manifestly injurious to ..country interests, and therefore seek relief from its operation and effect. Mr Hall presented a petition from seventy-eight ratepayers of the Waipukurau Road District asking for the passage of an Act for the formation of a new County into which the Road Board shall be merged. This, it is contended, would abolish the present double-rating ■ system, and give local control over the roads in the district.