MAIL SUMMARY. FOR EUROPE AND AMERICA

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 230, 26 September 1906, Page 9

MAIL SUMMARY. FOR EUROPE AND AMERICA

OUR HOME LETTER.

AUCCKLAND, Sep. 26.

Under the premierehip of Sir Joseph Ward politics have resumed their nor-nal-condition, and the proceedings of Parliament have been remarkable only for their businesslike and orderly character. The customary debate on the Budget was exceedingly brief, but the usual delay has followed in getting the Estimates "passed. The land proposals of the Government are before a committee and so also is the reciprocity treaty between Australia and New Zealand. The treaty has met with a much more favourable reception in Australia than in this colony, but it is doomed to rejection, so pronounced and general has been the opposition towards its provisions by all classes of the community.

Discussing the Government's land proposals in a recent speech, the Hon. Mr. McNab, Minister for Lands, declared that they would play an important part in the settlement of the lands of the lands of the colony. People were deternined to have the land settled. He Jionght the time was rapidly going vhen"people would care to ride in trains ,nd see large properties with no settleacnt. Such settlement as that "which vonld be attained by the Government's md proposals would induce and promote raffle along the railway lines. They Tould not require to expend so much nonev on roads and bridges as was lecessitated by the opening up of remote .ands, ajid altogether, the- settlement of these areas would he more productive than by going into the. black blocks. ! Any Government would have been, compelled to face the problem of providing land out of the large private estates to ■meet the demand for the freehold. There was bound to be a row when that question was touched on. but nearly all p - eat problems had now readied such an acute stage that any Government which faced them was bound to have a row. Taking that view of thing?, the. Government thought it advisable to face the whole lot at once, and one big row would do for the lot.

One of the most important measures foreshadowed by Mr. Seddon during his last election campaign Vas the scheme of National Annuities which has been laid before the House by the Premier. The central idea of the scheme is to assist all who desire to save money by adding subsidies to the deposits entrusted by them to tbo care of Government or of recognised, benevolent and friendly societies.

The National Annuities Fund is to be managed in connection with the. Government life Insurance Department, and the subsidies are to be paid out of a special grant from the Consolidated Fund, If the estimate should fall below the requirements of the scheme, money ■will be advanced from the Consolidated Fund at five per tent interest to meet the deficfiiency. One important section of the Bill deals with t.'ie assistance to be given to members of friendly societies. All weekly allowances made by such societies on account of sickness for twelve months or upwards arc to be subsidised by Government on a. sliding ecale to the amount of from ;>0 per cent to % per cent of the preceding year's allowance, according lo age. As to other persons desiring to save money, the Government Annuities Department will receive deposits of even £1, and will ™!}|) (A annuity upon llem at

tho '-deferrej a s o." Thi-sc •' dpferrcti wbutionstrc7L\ffi'°oir (I "f'()n'C?[)oHfM scale. The scale of subsidies has b o™ special inducemente lo SUCI) forms Qf

Saving as will tost promote the public persons win rerefveTubsiclics on firTe/ posits at a higher rate than those imrarried, and the lnrpnst a.niount of as"'stance will be given (o those who have to support large families. .These subsides run from 10 pur cent on deposits in we case of unmarried persons to 35 per CjM in the case of parents of over 12 children. Further, sprcial benefits aro ofierod to those whose earnings are comparatively small, 7] le m . m getting less Own £3 a week in wages ■will receive .5 pet cent per annum extra subsidy; while the man earning between x:i aiid £.:, a week will get only 2J per cent extra subsidy. Special rates arc also offered to widows and members of friendly societies; while those -who for three years deposit an average of a shilling a. week receive 21 per cent extra subsidy for persistency" in saving. The most complete arrangements are wing made for ihe opening of the New iealand International Exhibition, which takes plate a t Cbri=tchurdi on NoveniDer Ist. hi s proposed that his Exce ency the Governor, Lord Plunket, WlU ' !lt the invitation of the. Premier, "Pen the Exhibition, and the most complete arrangements a,v<: being made to Keep the ceremony thoroughly 30nsisteilfc \itli the international character of the exhibition. The Exhibit ion. Orchestra, under Mr. Alfred Hill, w iU cons i s t of r>o PWmmm engaged in Australia and »ew Zealand, led by llr. GVor-e Weston, Tvno led the orchestra at the Melbourne Moubition.

The creation of ;i Public Health Degrtment « New Zealand, says the MiiiS. } n charge, has more than justified fnr'ti 1 ! nce - lt ,las completely changed EJS ett " the p i,blie healtl i - ud «»* «<Mditionß under which the people live. birfi - Ve ! rS records show an improved X i-ti and a low death ratp - The ~-.„" mistered numbered or in'" per thoi,s anu population, being an JWMe of 4.02 upon the returns for the 22? yPar " The deathri totalled 80 °- mi to 9.i7 p er luoo population, which k the lowest rate since 1887.

-..t cc , M , dui S to the annual returns furled by the Agricultural Department, were were 20,108,471 B heep in the j**»7 on April 30th last. 10,098,740 beNoh?t, South and 10=009.731 in the J2S ? ud - This sbow ' an iTicrcas « S u P f r ? d , With last ? ear of disSt H '026o 26 iD Ule North ™ d 35 ' J '- 6<o or f There are 4 7-7'. sl ? ee P in Auckland province, lit o ? ier ' 4.520.074 in WelS^^ Coast « 1-0*8,567, ifcrlttii * elson > 5261.803. Canterand 3 ; 755.250 in

to S I 6"?' Who haa been sentenced in WeliiL* • mur der of a Chinaman th « CnvsiS; b v ns , anc, and removed to dmrPh 7/ near Christt*«a P , om that institution be- ° ht last ' but he was recaptured

on Tuesday night at Sheffield about 38 miles from Christchurch, after a severe struggle -with a constable and two residents.

Mr. William Fenwick, editor of the " Otago Witness," aid brother of Mr. George Fenvick, managing director of the " Otago Daily Times," <lied at Dunedin on Monday last.

Mr. Ja.mes MeEffer Shera, a, resident of Auckland, well-Icnown in business circles, died at his residence in Remuera on September 19. Mr. Shera was closely associated with the Liberals in politics, and was for some years one of the three Auckland city representatives in Parliament.

A meeting of the directors of the Hibberd Prepayment Machine Syndicate was held at the office of Mr. J". H. Mackie, secretary, Mercantile €ha,mbers. Applications "for shares to the number of 840 were received and allotted, at a premium of ten shillings per share. The above number exhausts the supply of shares which the directors decided to allot for the time being.