POLITICAL NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4220, 16 September 1892, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

Mr Hogg, M.H.R., lias presented a petition bearing the signatures of 57 residents of Pabiatna, to tbe Minister of Justice, praying that Mr Haggen be released from custody, on tbe following grounds :-l, That ho to not permitted to go fully into his position at the time of publishing tbe libel, 2, That be published the article bona fide in the belief in its truth, and for the reason that the matters alleged therein should bo enquired into, Mr Buchanan asks for a reduction in the fees, and penalties chargeable for delay in paying fees, on boilers used in connection with agricultural machinery, Amongst a number of petitions against withdrawal of subsidies presented yesterday was one from tbe Eketahuna Eoad Board, presented by Mr Hogg.

TUB CODLIN MOTH BILL. The long-promised Codlin Moth Bill of the Miaistor for Lands has been circulated at last, It provides that tho importation of fruit trees infected by codlin moth, mussel scale, woolly aphis, shot-hole fungus, peach curl, oidium, black spot, grape vine root-louse, red spider, cherry and pear leaf-slug, and scab shall be prohibited, The Bill applies to all these pests, as well as to that which gives the title, Any district may be proclaimed a fruit district, aud, if declared infected, cannot be again declared clean until twelve months after the issue of a clean certificate. The fruit growers of every fruit district aro to appoint five of their number to be a District Board, to hold office for periods of two years, The Board may appoint a secretary, oolleotor, treasurer, aud inspectors, but tho offices of collector and treasurer must not be held by the same person, The Governor-in-Council may make regulations for imposing and collecting contributions, the times at which infected orchards must be bandaged,' dressed, etc, the wanner in which infected fruit shall be destroyed, and receptacles for fruit cleansed, and for the destruction of fruit pests, a penalty not exceeding £5 being provided. Inspectors are empowered to enter all arcliardsorother pmceswhere there-are fruit or fruit trees, and examine all packages, etc, debardjsta are required to send in an annual return as to tho condition of tbeirorchard*. A Board is empowered to impose an annual contribution of not more than two shillings per halfacre. Infected nurseries may he quarantined, and diseased trees may be quarantined, and diseased trees may be required to be destroyed in any nursery or orchard, Penalties are provided fpr conyeying jufeoled fruit, The Codlin Moth Act, 18PJ, is to be repealed,. ■ TUB NATIYJS USD PURCUABE BILL. The amendments, made by the Native Affairs Committee in tho Native Land Purchases Bill.include provision that the debentures to bo paid for land purchased must be not | less than £lO or moro than £IOOO each, and bear 5 instead of 4$ per cent, interest, The approval of a Judge of the Native Land Court or

Supreme Court is made necessary be» Tore any share exceeding £lO in any land under disability may bo acquired, A new ohuseJs added authorising tbe sale by the down 10 natives of any, lands acquired from natives, and the impositions of restrictions onlands so sold, and another repealing the Government Native Land Purchases Act of 1877, and its amendment of i 1878.—Evening Tlio Premier was in his usual place in the House yesterday afternoon, The Waste Lands Committee have considered the petition of Mr Coleman Phillips, of the VVairarapa, re certain Inud transactions, and report that tboy cannot ask the Bouse to interfere with the ordinary course of law. Mr Hogg wants the Government to place a sum on the estimates for a courthouse and,other Government 'buildings at Pahiatua. Mr W. Hutohisou wants to know whether the Government will move the second reading of the Libel Bill at an Daily date. Government propose to bring down the Payment of Members Bill at an early date,

Replying to Mr E. M. Smith, the Minister for Education said he did not think it right to givo the school teachers of the Taranaki dißtriot wages 50 per cent less than in tbe Wellington and other provinces, but bo did not see how it could be altered, seeing that tbe attendances were very much smaller than in other districts.