CABINET DECISIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 144, 12 March 1908, Page 8

CABINET DECISIONS.

YESTERDAY'S MEETING. APPOINTMENT OP OFFICIAL ASSIGNEE. Cabinet hold a meeting morning, tho Premier (Sir Joseph . Ward) presiding, and the other Ministers present being the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, tho Hon. J. Carroll, the Hon. James M'Gowan, tho 'Hon. R. M'Nab," tho Hon. J. A. Millar, dud the Hon. Dr. Findlay. It was decided to,appoint Mr.,/ Alexander Simpson, who has acted as Deputy Official Assignoo for sonio years at Wellington, Official Assigneo, - in place of . Mr. James Ashcroft, who ,recently resigned'. • .-. ; lhe High Commissioner .is to represent .the Dominion-at the Polar -Commission to be bold at Brussels.

It was decided that tho Dominion" should bo represented at ; the Congress ,of -Freezing Industries, to bo held in Paris in June of this year. This Congress is' to be held'under tho auspices of tho French Government', ■ anil . is to discuss exhaustively, mattors connected with tho freezing industries of the world and tho offect of refrigeration.on meat, et-c. It will bo. an' important gathering. \ 1 In order .to expedito settlement, it' was decided thatj .in 'addition t'o the. Lands-De-partment • omploying surveyors throughout the. country to survey Crown lands for settlement, tho Native Department : should also be authorised to employ" surveyors independently.: This will hasten the settlement of the Nativo lands dealt 'with by the Native Land Commission. "under the Native Land Settlement Act of last session. One of the difficulties so far has been to obtain sufficient surveyors. : ' • • '

It , was dccided to .invito tenders for tlio purcnaSo of .tho Lady Roberts and'the Janie Seddon, as neither: steamer is required for tho purposes for which it 1 has been used. OilMaun'ch'es are to tako their., places. Tho latter will bo 'more economical 'arid handier generally for the Defence Departirient. y Ministers aro to visit tho Blount View Asylum, on' Friday morning next,' for tho purposo of inspecting tho!' suggested' sito for' a fever-hospital in Wellington;'" ;

It was dccided that, owing ,to tho slump in hemp, and with a viow to oncouraging and assisting the' industry; that when, tlio price for New Zealand liomp falls beiow. £25 f.o.i). tho'charge of 7s. per ton for grading' bo remitted.. .. . •