POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 348, 1 October 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BYTKLIiCIiAI'II -SPKCIAL COBHESPOSDENT) Wkllinotox, Last Night. RAILWAY EXTENSION. Tiik Mii.ister for Public Works informed the House hy the Public Works Statement that in railway construction alone, the applications for new lines and the extension of existing lines comprise * length of over l. r )00 nu'ess, at an estimated approximate cost of nearly £10,000,000. I gather from an experienced Parliamentarian, who liaa tone very carefully into the maps attached to the Public Works Statement, that the 1500 miles of railways asked for, according to Mr Hall-Jones, includes every public and private line explored or surveyed, authorised or under construction, since the foundation of tho colony, excepting the Tophousc line and branches, Hurunui, Hope, and the East and West Coast routes, all of which were wiped out, in ISSS by the adoption of the Arthur's Pass route. My informant further poiots out that for the List 10 years, up to the 31st March, 1898, there have been 31 2\ miles of railway opened, or an average of thiity-one miles, twenty chains per annum, the North Island gaining seventeen miles, peven'y chains, and the. South Island th'itcen miles, thirty chains per annum, lie considered that instead of 1500 miles of railway being required at present, 200 miles would fully meet all the requirements of the colony for the next five years, and that in fact more than two hundred could not be advantageously undertaken. This would mean twenty-four miles per annum for the North Island and sixteen miles for the South Island, or an average for the colony of forty miles a year, at a cost fully equipped or about three hundred thousand pounds, instead of 10 millions, which the Minister Estimates would be the cost of fifteen hundred miles of railway. A CURIOUS PETITION.

Mr John Hutchison to-day presented a petition from Alfred Crossley, proprietor of the Ranfurly hotel, Wellington. It states that on Sunday last, the 25th inst., hy direction of the Commissioner o* Police, a police constable was stationed at the door of the petitioner's licensed house and took the names and addresses of his boarders and of all persons entering the hotel. The petition further points out that when one canstable had been on duty for about two hours he was relieved by another, who performed the same duty for a similar period, and thi3 was continues! throughout the day from the morning until late at night. He complained that by reason of this conduct to the boarders and persons who frequented the hotel, as they were lawfully entitled to do, have left his house and refuse to again patronise it, on the grounds that they object to being treated by the police as law breakers, and to be subjected to an inquisitorial examination. The petitioner submits that no licensee or other trader in any part ot the Queen's Dominions has ever yet been subjected to persecution of the description mentioned, and he prays for compensation for the loss he has sustained by reason of the wrongs complain d cf. NATIVE LANDS POLICY. The Premier this afternoon presented a whole batch of petition?, signed by 3368 natives. They pray that the Nattye Land and Administration Bill be passed on the lines laid down by the large native meeting lipid at. Papawai, Greytown, some few months ago. Mr Seddop's attempt at pronouncing the Maori names of tliose who headed the respective petitions created hearty laughter, in which the Native Minister himself joined,

THE "ROUND ROBIN.'

The Premier lias not ypt replied to a letter sent him by 2S of his followers, pledging themselves to "sit tight " aud support him right through with the Old Age Pensions Bill, It is understood that he is reserving his reply in order to sec what attitude the Opposition will take with reapept to the remaining clauses of the Bill.