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Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 17, 20 July 1905, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

PURE SEEDS. The Seeds Examination Bill winch has been introduced by the Minister for Lands is designed to provide for the examination of agricultural and horticultural seeds. Provision is made for ihe appointment of inspectors under the- Act, aud any inspectors appointed under the Stock Act, the Noxious -Weeds Act, and the Orchard and Garden Pests Act, are to be deemed to be inspectors under this Act. Samples of seeds may at any time" be obtained by the inspectors to be forwarded without unnece&sary delay to the Government Biologist for examination and report. The report of such examination must specify the percentage of seeds and of foreign matter in each sample, and the percentage of germination of such seeds, calculated on pure seed. On payment of a prescribed fee, any person is entitled to have a sample of seeds examined and reported on. The report of any examination may be published by the Secretary for Agriculture, and no person is to be liable in any way in respect of such publication. BEE CULTURE. The Apiaries Bill, to encourage and protect the bee industry in New Zealand, was bi'ought down by Governor's Message yesterday afternoon. It provides that every beekeeper in whose apiary any disease appears must within seven days of becoming awaro of its presence, send written notice thereof to the Secretary for Agriculture at Wellington. Inspectors j are to bo appointed, to ensure compliance with the provisions of tho Act. An inspector nmj' enter upou any premiHes for the purpose of examining any bees, hives, or bee appliances, and if they aro found to bo affected with disease, lie may direct the treatment 'to be followed; or, if in his opinion the disease is too fully developed to bo etirod," ho may order the destruction by firo of the bees, hives, and appliances. Where bees are domiciled in common boxes, box hivee, or any hive from which tho bee conibs cannot readily be re-moved without cutting them, power is given to the inspector to direct the beekeeper to transfer such bees to properly built frame hives. THE ONEHUNGA-NEW PLYMOUTH SERVICE. Replying to Mr.' Kidd, who wants the Government to endeavour to arrange with the shipping companies to continue the daily service between Onehunga- and New Plymouth, the Postmaster-General (Sir J. G. Ward) said yesterday : "The steamship companies haro been .unable to continue the daily service throughout the winter on tho ground that the traffic during tho greater part of tho winter months is not a paying one. The Department does not regard it as necessary to directly subsidise tho steamship companies in order to maintain the daily service throughout the winter. In view of the heavy expenditure incurred in establishing daily express services- to New Plymouth, it is being considered whether tho Tutanckai should nob . be pub on to run on the nights that the si camera do not connect." WOMEN TEACHERS. The suggestion hns been made by Mr. Hanan that under tho teachers' superannuation scheme tho optional age for the retirement of women teachers shou'.d be fixed at fifty years, Tho Minister for Education says the cost of tho carrying out of the proposal would be very large indeed, inasmuch as the years of contribution would thereby be reduced by five years, and that at the time when the contributions were largest, while the pensions beginning' flvo years earlier woiUd run for an average period of five years longer. JOTTINGS. "If I had to say," remarked Mr. Heke in his contribution to tho debato on M,r. Sidey's Bill for the taking of a. plebiscite on the Bible-in -schools question yesterday, "if I had to say whether the pulpit or the press waa the best -educative factor I should certninly pronounce for the press." "A young man goes to the theatre. Ho. becomes infatuated with an actress and marries her," says the Hon. G. Jones. "Is that marriage made in Heaven?" The Premier, in answer to Mr. Wood, does nob favour tho establishment of a training school for teachers at Palmerston North. The Hcaton Park Estate, Rangitikei, haa been offered to the Government under the Land for Settlements Act, and negotiations will, the 'Premier says, be entered upon as soon as possible. The Colonial Secretory cannot «o Uis

way to grant an extension of privileges | at the Government sanatoria to members of friendly societies. The Government does not propose to appoint an expert in wool-classing at present. Tho Minister for Lands informs Mr. Hogg that tlit expediency of establishing a, State nursery in the Hutt district I has been considered, but up to date a suitable area at a moderate cost cannot be obtained.