POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3139, 27 August 1892, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(by telegraph—special correspondent, Wellington, Last Night.

SMALL FARM SETTLERS. Major Ldsk and several members of tho House interviewed the Minister for Lands to-day, and drew attention to the demands of the Auckland Fanners' Association that small farm settlers should have an optional right of purchasing their holding after they have complied with the improvement conditions for four years, and that they should have other concessions as non-resident? on bush, land for three years in the case of jouble improvements, the laying off of Crown lands as a township for members of tho settlement, the option of acquiring land at a minimum price of 10s per acre, and that each settler shall be able to acquire a maximum area of 320 aws. The Hon. J. McKenzie said that all the concessions asked for would be given under the Land Bill, except that of giving small farm set tiers the freehold; that could not be granted. SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

The leader of the Opposition this afternoon spoke strongly on the necessity of the Government declaring what their intentions were with regard to the people who had taken up land on the special settlement system, aud said it was time those settlers knew what the Great Liberal Party propped to do for them. Mr Rolleston's remarks were caused by a report from the Waste Lands Committee on a Urge number of petitions from small farm associations, asking the Government to clear and crass their bush selections before allotment, and add the cost to the rent. The report was that the petition be referred to the Government for consideration. The Minister for Linda in replying said he hoped Mr Rolleston would restrain his impatienco till Tuesday next, when he would present a statement in reference to these special settlements and give the House an opportunity to exnress an opinion on them. Mr Rolleston said he had no desire atall to raise a debate on the question at that stage and he thought Mr McKenzie's proposal a very reasonable one. THE LABOUR DIFFICULTY. During the discussion in the House, yesterday, Mr Hogß, the member for Masterton, strongly condemned boy labour which he eaid was the curse of the colony. Mr Fergus referring to this remark said there were no bigger sinners in the matter of boy labour that the Premier and the member for Masterton who ran their newspaper offices with boy labour as the Typographical Socioty could testify. Mr Ballance said that he was not proprietor of the Wanganui Herald which was owned by a company and which p:\id regulation wages. Mr Hogg also said that he was not at present connected with Rny newspaper, but he believed that the office with which he bad been associated employed as many married men as apprentices. Mr Fergus said he could disprove this from the balance sheet of the company, but Mr Ballanco denied its correctness.

MR DUTHIE'S OPINION.

The member for Wellington expressed the opinion during the debate that the labour bureau of which so much has been heard, has not in any way reduced the populations. in the towns. He says that the men it is sendina out are country labourers who come to town for a spree, knowing that they will be sent back by the bureau. Mr Duthie told the House that he knew of one man with a large deposit in the Savings Bank who did so. Mr Kerens supported this with a story of a man who left his employer at Hunterville so as to get on to the co-operative works there. He was told they could only take persons sent from Wellington, so he came to town, enjoyed himself for a few days, and was promptly *ent up to the works by the bureau, and yet the Government claimori great credit for their administration of this Department.