NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 293, 4 September 1908, Page 9

NEWS AND NOTES.

SALARIES OF VALUERS. About thirty members of Parliament, in an interview with the Minister for Agriculture (Hon. R. M'Nab) last evening, urged that the present remuneration of Government valuers was inadequate. In support of this view members cited tho extra and responsible work thrown upon tho valuers by the Advances to Settlers, Advances to Workers and Lands for Settlement Acts, and insisted on the necessity of . securing tho best men, and retaining them, instead of allowing them to leave the service. Tho Minister replied that he had gone thoroughly iiito the question, and sympathised with tho representations that had been made. He had decided to place a sum on tho Supplementary Estimates this session for the purpose of increasing the salaries of tho valuers, and ho hoped that ho would bo able within a year to offer them a satisfactory grade with satisfactory salaries,

The Hon. H. H. Scotland took his seat in tho Legislative Council yesterday for tho first time this session. One week's leave of absence was given yesterday to Mr. W. Eraser (Wakatipu) on account of urgent public business, and a fortnight to Mr. J. M'Lachlau ou account of illhealth. Tho Justices of the Peace Act Amendment .Bill, which has been introduced in tho Council by the Hon. 0. Samuel, is a one-clause measure providing that any information or complaint under tho Justices of tho Peace Act may be sworn, taken, or received beforo or by either a justice, the clerk' of a trate's Court, or the deputy of such clerk. . Mr. Ngata last night complained of tho continued absence of Mr. Kailiau from his seat ill Parliament. He stated that the work which should be done by the member for tho Western Maori district fell upon the other Native' members, and ho for ono was unable to sustain * the additional burden. The Premier stated that tho Speaker had in his possession a medical certificate showing that-Mr. Kaihau was unable to attend to his parliamentary duties. 1 Mr. Fisher attributes tho action of the Legislative Council in killing bis Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill to a misapprehension. It had been supposed that tho Bill would onablo sailors trading in and out of tho ports to vote at municipal elections. In point of fact, it would not have affected the position as regards sailors voting in any way. There was no chance of doing anything moro in the matter this session, but as there was a strong feeling in tho House in favour of tho Bill, there could ho no doubt tliat it would be introduced again nest session.