POLITICAL NOTES.
(l)Y TEMJCiHAI'ir,— OWN' COKKKSI'ON'DJSN'T). WiauNnrox, Friday. CIVIL S'iltVA \T.S' UOMPBNdAT.'O.Y. Mil Goi.nm is dtsiroii-s of knowing why Colonel Roberts and Major <:,)*•;..%n,., »lm retired from tho Public Service in INSS, anil wli Ilm:'i vr I 'S corn iic.ih i! i ■'l I hi' suns of t'Bo3 lis and £101 -Is !l I lv-pecti. oly, (th* former n[ whom li.'is since been appointed Resident Magistral, '• at L''!-")0 f(iic annum and 111 o latter as Short iff at t!2-"i0) did not refund tins compeiis it ion which they ' had r-eeived for loss of oliice when tho new appointments were tn ide, as others have done. BEER DUTIES ACT. | Mr Seddon is urging on the Premier the ' necessity of making, during the recess, ' careful enquiry int.i' the working of the Beer Duties Act with a view of .unending the provision so as to prevent it harrassing the brewers and publicans, and also with a view uf its possible abolition at an early date. AN INCOME TAX. Tho member for Marsden intends asking the Premier if it is the intention of the Government tn introduce a Bill early next session dealing with the question of an Income tax. OUR LAND LAWS. The question put by Mr Joyce tn the Minister or Lands this afternoon elicited a lengthy discussion, the adjournment of the House having been moved for the purpose. Mr Joyce asked the Minister to give some explanation of the lottery system at present in use in the disposal of the Grown lands of the colony, and whether there was any foundation for the statement of Mr Uses, late a member of the Wellington Land Board, who denounced the dummyisin earned on under the tendrr system ; and if it is true that Mr Anderson, a Victor i in farmer, came to this colony prepared to buy, improve and stock (>OO acres of land, but after waiting in New Zealand for two months he was unable to purchase land from the Crown. Mr Richardson said tho question was a very large one. It was well known that many people in order to get exceptional opportunities for obtaining land put in applications on bshulf of themselves and members of their family. Under the ballot system ISS7, now in force, however, a deposit was necessary in each case, which was not required under the other system that was obtained before the ballot system, and consequently people could then on one deposit apply for as much land as they liked. It was not true that people had t > bo refused on account of no land being available. There was a large quantity of land for disposal at present in the colony ; iu the Wellington Provincial district alone, there were about l(i,000 acres of settlement land in the market, and about 17,000 acres under the small grazing run system. The present system was fairly tested in Wellington, where them was an almost unhealthy demand for land. As 11 the statement about Mr Anderson, of Victoria, that gentleman had applied for land, but did not obtain it, because ho wanted specially good land which was easily accessible. .Mr Marchant said that iu his opinion reform of the land laws was urgently required. He regretted to see in the morning papers that a member of the Mouse had applied to tiansfer a section which fell to him by ballot. Mr Stewart also strongly urged reform in this direction, and said that the Land Act should be so that a man could apply for land within the limit allowed by law, pay down his money and t ike that land, instead of taking his chance with fifty others under the ballot system that now prevails. Several other members also spoke, including Captain Russell, who said the best way to Ret over the difficulty was to vastly increase the survey staff, and thus to increaso the facilities for obtaining land. He held it was utterly impossible under the present conditions, to prevent a rush of Applicants for a new block, whenever it was thrown open. DUMMYIS.M. The Minister for Lands, referring to the remaiks which had been made duiing the debate about dummyisin, said there was legitimate as well as speculative dummyism, In the former case where a man, anxious to obtiin a section for bona-fide settlement, got other members of his family also to apply for the same land, there was not much to bo said against that, but speculative duininyism was greatly to be deprecated. Mr Richardson further gave it as his opinion, that there was not much trouble with the ballot system in thocase of average land, and it was only in choice blocks that any difficulty existed. The beat remedy for this would be to put those blocks up to auction for cash, and that he thought could meet the case. The debate lasted nearly the whole afternoon, up to tho dinner adjournment. THE NATIVE BILLS. A meeting of the Native Affairs Committee took place this morning to review tho various Native Bills introduced by the Government. The Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act was amended in the direction of widening its scope, and it was decided that the clause in last year's Act, limiting the number of grantees of a block to twenty, stjould not apply to lands operated upon prior to passing that Act-.. The Native Land Bill was only partially traversed. On account of the objections raised, the Native Minister agreed to strike out thu clause providing for tho appointment of an Administrative Officer as recommended by the Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, and also to withdraw the clause relating to surveyor's liens. LOCAL (10 VERNMENT. Tho Local Government Committee met this morning, presided over by Dr Hodgkinson. Tho committee decided to send in a report in general terms, and ask leave for the committee to be re-set up next session, as it was quito impossible to give the subject due consideration at this late period ol the present session. M KOICAL PRACTITIONERS' BILL. This Bill, which caused so much opposition in certain quarters, is not likely to pass this session, as the committee of the Legislative Council to which it was referred will probably report that it should not be proceeded with at present. THE SPEAKER'S ILLNESS. Sir Maurice O'Rorke was again absent from the House to-day, and Mr Hamlin took the chair. Sir Maurice's illness is caused by some troublesome boils on his neck, from which he has been suffering for (he last fortnight, but they are much worse this week. REPORT ON LOCAL BILLS. Mr JDowme Stewart to-day brought up the report on the Local Bills, which they considered it desirable should pass this session. The Napier Harbour Board Bill is fifth on the list of those which the Committee think should be dealt with in order of priority. The Committee also considered that the Gisborne Harbour Act Amendment Bill should become law without delay. Monday afternoon is to be devoted to the consideration of fifteen of the Local Bills * recommended by the Committee. I LOCAL BODIES REVENUE. i The Premier is being solicited by Mr i Marchant to introduce a Bill to enable local bodies to devote their revenue to the payment of interest on loans for road improvements, as promised by the Government. A COLONIAL SHAM EIGHT. Mr Hutchinson is urging on the attention of the Minister ot Defence the desirability ot considering tho suggestion that at next E.ister a sham fight from the sea on some fortified post in the colony may he made and under conditions approximating a real engagement, so that some tost may bo afforded of the adequacy or otherwise, of our defences. Tho member for Waitotara thinks arrangements might be made with the Admiral of the Australian fleet for the purpose.
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Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2674, 31 August 1889, Page 2
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1,298POLITICAL NOTES. Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2674, 31 August 1889, Page 2
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