WELLINGTON NOTES.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8780, 28 April 1894, Page 7

WELLINGTON NOTES.

April 27. Some weeks ago I gave some particulars of the efforts of Messrs Hogg and Pirani to obtain remissions for settlers at the Forty Mile Bush, on the ground that the land had been rated by the Lands Department at too high a value. 1 then pointed oat how grave a difficulty rntisb be created for, the Minister for Lauds if political pressure was to be permitted to dimiuissh the land revenue, and warp Departmental administration. i have reason to thiuk that the Minister has recognised the dauger, aud from what transpired at I the sitting of the Laud Court yesterday it seems pretty clear that Mr McKenzie must have spoken his mind with Highland animation to the intervening legislators. The following is reported as part of to-day's proceedings:—Mr Hogg, M.H. R., maintained that the special settlement- in the Forty Mile Bush had been a great success. It was, he went on to say, the men with 59 and 100 acres who had made money there. They were well fitted for their work, and had proved themselves to be hardy and industrious settlers, the persons who had gone to the wall were the men with the large areas. Mr Pirani, M.H.R., thought the special settlements under the new regulations would not be so successful. In facf- he would guarantee that there would be 50 par cent, of surrenders. Mr Hogg said it did not redound to the credit of the Minister that he liad refused a portion of the Awarua block to deserving settlers, after they had been promised some of tiie laud. The men had been cruelly deceived. JVir T. VV. Fisher said it was uncertain when the Government was going to get possession of the block. Mr Hogg asserted that the Government had practically gob it. Mr Fisher believed it would be two or three years yet before the laud was in the actual possession of the Government. Mr Hogg thought the treatment of the men who had been promised a portion' of the block was absolutely discreditable. Mr W. A. Fitzherbert—: Ie is unfortunate. The subject then dropped. A letter from the Under-Secretary for Crown Lands caused some discussion. The communication was to the effect that village homestead sections did not appear to be under the jurisdiction of the Land Board, aud therefore there wts no powar to convert them into leases in perpetuity. Mr Pirani did not agree with the Uuder-Secretary that the judgment in Gorinley v Mclntyre, quoted in support oi his ruling, applied to conversions to a lease in perpetuity at all; as by the Land Act of 1892, passed six years after the regulations, special powers were given to the Board in this mailer. The Commissioner said the decision of the judge was quoted to show that matters connected with the village settlements could be dealt with by the Commissioner only. He suggested that the opinion of the Supreme Court should be taken. Mr Hogg objected to the Board incurriug expenses in obtaining a legal opinion. He considered it was a cruel thing to treat settlers in the manner under notice, when holders of large areas of laud as grazing runs could get the concession. Continuing, Mr Hogg wished to know whether the Under-Secretary was to rule instead of the Board. Speaking with considerable warmth, he said that he was sorry that Parliament w&s not now sitting so that they could have the matter out on the floor of the House. The whole thing was most unfair to the small struggling settlers. It wa3 jumping on the little men because they had not sufficient wealth to go into the Supreme Court and fight their battles. He did not believe that the Minister was cognisant of the whole circumstances, and it seemed to him that the Under Secretary was badly advised. He (Mr Hogg) was told by\tlie Minister some time ago that the settlers had a right to get their leases converted. The "question was a serious one. Was effect to be given to the decisions of the Board 1 The Board said that the leases were to be converted, and now it was found that nothing had been done in the matter. It was a very peculiar thing if the Minister or his factotum could turn the key and prevent the Board from doing a just thing. The Commissioner—We are gelling new rentals and don'fc know how to dispose of them. Mr Pirani-—You had better make a motion, Mr Hogg. It's time we made a motion. It is no use our sitting j here if effect is not to be given to our decision, The Board is nofc going down on its knees to Mr McKeczie or to- Mr Barren.: It is not only j tbe Board that is, bejflg treated in thia way it is the general public as well. After further discussion it was decided, on the motion of Mr Hogg, seconded by Mr Pirani, that the Minister for Lancte bu j informed that under section 150 of the Act j the Board considers the village settlers are entitled to their leases in perpetuity, and that immediate effect be given to such decision. Mr Pirani moved, Mr Hogg seconded, and it was agreed to—" That the Board does rioto consider the judgment referred to in the JB&atfr-Sc'cretary's letter of tbe 10th April the rights given by the Land Act of ISG2, passed subsequently to the gazetting of the regulations of lat September, 1886/' - j The marked hostility displayed yesterday toward the Minister for Lands by Messrs Hogg and Pirani, M.H.R.'s, sitting as mem- i bers of the Land Board, in the matter of the j proposed conversion of certain leases, must ! have been an unpleasant incident to the party leaden, and may prove the prcmoai-

Tory signs of revolt against Ministerial domination by some members of the 'Government following, who seem to be placating their constituents by denunciation of the Lands Department. The position is this: — Certain settlers are in occupation of Crown Lands in Villaee Settlement or special Associations, and together form a considerable class of small tenants. They had special facilities in the first instance, as procuring the land without competition ai> a low upset price and easy conditions of improvement A3 ro time. Their title Is the perpetual lease, which is subject to ro-appraiseraent of value at the end of twenty-one years. The Laud Board, as represented by Messrs Hogg and Pirani, claim the power to vary these titles. The Minister denies their claim, and refuses their rigßt to exercise the power. Hβ will, I believe, stand to his guns, and there may be a row in the Ministerial camp. The Commission empowering Mr O'Hara Smith to enquire into the mystery of tho disclosure of tho Commandant's correspondence has been issued, and I understand that both Mr Gillon, the editor, and Mr Hobeu, of the staff of the Post, will be summoned to depose as to their knowledge of that singular revelation. Whether they will obey the summons is another matter. The penalty for non-compliance, as fixed by statute, is a five of £20, recoverable iv the usual way, provided the Attorney-General so directs.

Sir Walter Buller has handed the Premier a report wpoa a bar of iron smelted at Oueivunsa, from Taranaki Titanic sand. It is discouraging reading, and will tax even the copious talking power of Mr E. M. Smith, from his place m Parliament, to controvert. The iron is thus reported upon :—Sample of cast iron received from Mr Da Costa (from the New Zealand Court, Imperial Institute). This piece of cast iron, which was about ten inches loug and one inch square, baa been tested as follows :—Placed ou supports nine inches apart it broke with a load of 23cwt. suspended at the centre. The two broken pieces were prepared for tensilo tests by being turned doivn to .627iu diameter for a parallel length of two inches. One piece broke with a load of 3.1 tous, the other with a load of 2.65 tons, giving a strength of 10 tons per square iuch respectively ; the3e results show the strength to be pretty equal to the average of cast irou. The broken pieces were afterwards submitted to analysis by two independent; technical chemists, who report the composition to be as follows :—Silicon—No. 1, 2/700: No. 2, 2.770. , Phosphorus-Xo. 1, .880; No. 2, 1.490. iSulpuur—No. 1, .064; No. 2, .062. Manganese—No. 1, .900; No. 2. .922. Carbon (graphite)— No. 1, No. 2, 2.910. Carbon (1 combined)— No. 1, No. 2, .160. The amount of phosphorus is so largo as to render the iron altogether unsuitable for the manufacture of steel by either the acid-Bessemer or the acidSiemens' process, while it is not sufficient to enable it to be treated by the Thomas Gilchrist process (Bessemer-basic) without its beingfirst heatedina regenerative furnace for steel making with tho pig. The only process which could be applied is the open Hearth basic, which would probably have to be combined with the Saniter process for the elimination of the sulphur. The large amouQC of silicon, however, would probably be destructive of the basic lining of the furnace, rendering frequent repairs, and consequent expense, necessary.—B. Martell, Chief Surveyor; J. T. Milton, Chief Engineer, London, October 27th, 1893."