WELLINGTON NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 31, 5 February 1894, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, this day. NATIVE LAND COURT APPOINT-

MENT,

Mr fl. F. Edger, ab present Registrar o* tho Native Land Courb in this district, is to be appointed a Judge of the Native Land Court. Mr Edger ia a barrister and solicitor of bhe Supreme Courb, and has been long connected with tha Native Department. He is the only son of the late Rev. _. Edger, 8.A., of Auckland, who came oub to New Zealand 31 years ago wibh the Nonconformist settlers, who colonised the Albertland districb in the province of Auckland. NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT. The total area of native land for tbe pur' chase of which the Governmenb is carrying on negotiations, amount*? to 1,751,996 acres, of which 62,000 acres are situated in the Wellington, Wanganui, and Hawke's Bay districts. The rest is in the King Country and other parts of Auckland district. I gathered during a conversation with the Premier to-day that he is deeply impressed with necessity for active and rapid movement by the Government in tho direction of the acquisition of sufficienb native lands in bhe North Island to satisfy the immediate and quick growing demand for cccupation and development. As Native Minister, the whole question i 3 ab the presenb time engrossing much ot his time, and he will, w^en the House meets, have some important proposals to submit to the Legislature. Meanwhile, anticipatory departmental work goes on apace, and ab bhe presenb time no leas than 1,752,000 acres are under offer to the Government. By tho terms of the legislation of lasb session the native owners may, as vendors, elect to sell or lease, and a8 they as a rule prefer to realise, the Governmenb cannot with safety reckon upon the acquisition of the land unless by purchase. Now, there •is only authority und% the existing law to apply £50,000 in anyone year to this pnrpose, and ib is recognised that this sum is quite inadequate for the wants of the country. Among the early Bills of the coming session, therefore, will be a measure taking power to acquire and apply such capital as may be necessary for this purpose. THE LICENSING ELECTIONS. To-day, I sought official information as to tho intention of the Governmenb as to the conduct and cost of the licensing elections. I did nob learn much beyond the facb bhab the cosb of compilation of the rolls would be borne by the country. As to whether the elections would be undertaken by the Governmenb or the local bodies, I was referred to the Acb, which prescribes that they shall be undertaken by the latter. Further, I was authoritatively iuformed bhab bho Premier had not made any abatement to tho effecb that the Governmenb would pay the cost or contribute part of the expense. THE ALIEN HAWKER. The Chinaman we have always with us, and, though deterrent legislation has apparently had the effect of making bim a slowly diminishing quantity, he is increasing in evidence as a storekeeper and hawker in this ciby. Upon his heels bhere now comes the Assyrian and the Indian, who as pedlars have already become such a nuisance in Australia as to cause repressive legislation. Many of these people are now here, and in one unsavoury quartor of the ci~y there is quite a colony of them. Tho Minister for Labour has, I learn, instructed his departmental officers to make enquiries throughout the colony to ascertain the . number and avocations of these aliens.