POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 468, 1 August 1899, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

[By TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT]. Wellington, Last Night. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The Premier declares that he is determined to push through the Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill, which proposes to fix the interest on advances at 41 per cent, instead of 5 per cent, as fixed by the original Act. This is of course a purely electioneering dodge, which shows that Mr Seddon knows perfectly well that his power is so completely gone that he has to resort to every conceivable means to keep himself in evidence before the small farmers of the country. It is freely stated here that the Government will k>Be a good many seats in the country districts at the general election which have hitherto been held by Ministerial supporters. COUNCIL ADJOURNMENT. It is probable that the Legislative Council will adjourn for a week or ten days whilst the financial debate is proceeding in the Lower House. THE COOPERATIVE SYSTEM. It appeals from the reports of the chief and road surveyors of the Land Department on the working of the cooperative system for the twelve mouths ended 31st March last that the average earnings per day of eight hours in the oliferent parts of the colony varied very considerably. In Auckland North the average daily earnings of the men was 5s 10|d ; Auckland Central, 6s 2Jd ; Rotorua, 8s ; Hawke's Bay, 7s 9|d ; Taranaki, 6s 6jd ; Wanganui; 8s s£d ; Wellington, 7s 9|d ; Marlborough, 7s 3jd ; Nelson, 6s of all), 10s 2£d ; Otago, 6s o-J-d ; Southland, 6* lOd for road contracts and 5s 9jd for improved farm settlements. THE WELLINGTON ELECTION. Mr John Hutcheson will take his seat in the House to-morrow evening at 7.30. There is a great demand for tickets on the occasion.