NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 282, 21 August 1908, Page 9

NEWS AND NOTES.

After nost Wodriesday Govornniont business is to take precedence on AVednosday afternoons. ' During the year ended Juno 30, 1908, 5851 first offending drunkards woro convicted in tlio Dominion, of which numbor 872 woro oversea visitors. Of the total numbor 243 woro women. A doal of discussion yesterday centred round a petition upon which the Select Committee had no recommendation to mako to the House. The petition was that of Elizaboth Walls, of Milton Street, Christchurch, The petitioner sot forth that she had become ■ possessed of a section of land of GO aeros in the parish of Okahu, County Marsden (Auckland); that the section was sold for the non-payment of rates by the former owner, aud that the sum realised by the salo was £9 155,, of which amount the petitioner received £1 10s. The petitioner had novor, received notico that it was intended to sell the land, and the rates unpaid had totalled 7s. Gd, Tho petitioner had received no intimation from tho Registrar' of the Supremo Court at Auckland beforo tho salo was proceeded' frith. Compensation was thoroforo prayed for. After lengthy discussion tho Houso referred tho report' back to tho Committee. Mr. Poole wants tho Government to open a State coa! mino in tho Auckland province. Mr. Wilford is to ask tho Minister for Lands whethor ho will introduce legislation to provide that trustees under the Cemeteries Act shall have full powers of control and also tho right to levy contributions; and will ho also provide in, such legislation for full powors of joint control? .