POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 153, 29 June 1914, Page 7

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

REFORM'S LAMENTATION. < -By Teleirraph.—Parliamentary P.eporter.) WELLINGTON. Saturday. , In the House of Representatives during j la-t night's debate Sir Joseph Ward had la tilt at the Minister of Finance for his gloomy voicing* about the stale of the Treasury when the Reform Government attained office. "The whole time the lion, gentleman has been winning about the financial position. lie had on July Ist of inn „„ less than £4.750,121 of uiioxhnlisted loan authorities to enable him to got any reasonable sum he liked for public works au.l other purposes."' declared the Leader of the Opposition. "Vet." he added, "the hon. member goes round talking about the small credit and empty Treasury eh"-;-. The fact of the matter i- the .Minister of Finance has made a big mess of the loans to local bodies account. while there are thousands of settlers unable to get any inonoy, and scores of workers. Although | I left authorities for a loan, the hon. gentleman says the securities were hypoihetieal in London. The fact remains, however, and it cannot be disputed, that if I had raised that loan of lour million, the release of the whole of the Imperial Guaranteed Debentures would have occurred at once. The present Government ,-ries and wails about the empty treasury left them, ye; l hey did no; borrow any bun themselves until February|no le-s than eight months after they I came into ottic:. 1 Ir v carried on ail the ordinary affair- of the country in that time, taking millions of money. while they have tho assurance to talk I about the Treasury being depleted." A POSSIBLE ABOLITION. , Is the Senior Civil Service examinaI Hon likely ;,, bo abolished iv Now ZeaI land': This interesting and important J <|iie-tion is at the moment under i-'n-I sideration. It is slated that the Public Service Commissioners would no; be averse to dropping the academic side o; tie examination and substituting a te«; 1 more in the lines oi showing a. know- | lodge of the departmental method. I regulations, and -taiutes administered Iby public officer?. Tho proposal has nol ! taken final shape, as the Commissioner* ! wish to consult the heads of the public service. No doub: their annual report. to be presented to Parliament shortly. will contain some reference to the matLAND SETTLEMENT. Liberal members' questions show that •' they are keenly anxious to discover how j many addilional settlers have been I placed on tlie land as a result ,'f the two | Land Acs passed by the Government. A motion la.-: year to secure a return of the number of -e'.iiers benefited was l not accepted by the Government. The 1 critics have more than a -uspicion :1m! f ibe total in any case would have boon i returned as "nil!" Now Mr. Forbes hn« I moved: "Thai there lie laid before thi--i II iii-e a return showing the particulars •! of the estates acquired for settlement | under the provisions of the Land Lavv- ] Amendment A,-.- of 11112 and I'M:!, the I acreages, and the lands -v> acquired." I iMr. W'ilfor.l. attacking his subject with I bis it.ual directness, asked for the name and address ~f any man settled under the legislation of 1011 and 1012. A number of returns showing v.h.i; is happening to the frown estate, particularly endowment lands, have been a-ked for by Mr. Geo. Witty. rXIVKIL-ITV SCRSIDIKS. Mr. MeCallum has intimated his intention to move: "That there be laid before this House a return showing the amount of all grants to the four university colleges for the two years ending I the :!l):h -lune. 11114. the various items i:i j such amounts, and the date •■: ihe pay- | men; of each amount.'' SELEITING SETTLEMENT APPLICANTS. I The member f>r Wairau is not altoI gether satisfied with the selection of applicants for Crown land bus. He has accordingly indicated his do-ire to heir ! the .Minister of Lands say whether lie 1 will exercise more control over land , boards' selections of applicants for j settlement and other Grown lands in the ; direction of allowing tho.-o with limited i means Io go lo the ballot, and at the -.une time endeavour, a- far as possible, to prevent from competing all those who apply for purely speculative purpose;-; ACCIDENT INSCRANCE RATES. •Mr. Davey intends to ask the GovernI menr whether 1 hoy will consider the 'advisability, in view of the large profi:.seeured by accident insurance companies-, of either considerably reducing the prci miums a; present collected by the GovI eminent office. or introducing legislation 1 providing that accident risks should be j accepted by the State alone at reduced : rates'.'