REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 673, 25 November 1909, Page 9

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

' :; MILITARY TRAJNING CAMPS. . ' ' ; •'Replying .to Mr. Jennings, who asked whether tne Government wouid, when considering ir site in the North Island ; fpr a.'permanent' military, traiuing camp, take.iuto account the very .great: advantages Voffered, by tho ■ Wairnarino. Plains for such.-'a. purpose, Sir. Joseph. .Ward , 'states that a joint'; selection-'-commit-/ too -. comprising official! representing ; Defence and : Lauds Departments respectively, will lip appointed •to consider: the matter of. traimng.gfounds" for troops, and■ the. representations mado' will'receive due consideration. ,'A'simi--lar reply is' given to ..•the'; Hon.; -Sir, ..W.:. J. Steward,..who* asked, the- Government to; con.sider the .suitability of land in-the . Mackenzie; Country for .the purpose, of a training camp ' : 'ior: : the South Island. ''."/■;'■■■'■': ; v; : ;'.- A LICENSING ItJQUIRY.' :v: -■';'; ■."What-is tho present', position of'the allegations mado 'in October, 1808, that .certain, mom-. >3rs' of', the. Ohinemurr Licorisirig Committee iad been bribed by a firm of .brewers in Auck-, land; and (2j,what inquiry does the /Govern,-' 1 mcht''propose to make in the matter?"..woio questions recently put by Itr. T. E. Taylor.- ' . In. >: reply, .the I'rinie .Minister, states thatthe'p'ositiort is that n'Koynl Commission'was set..up to investigate the. charges;' th&t.-logaj proceedings were instituted.'by themembErs of tho "cammittco to upset the Commission; that tho Court of Appeal decided that the Commission was not lawfully issued; and that thereupon tho Commission'terminated.'■ Subsequently. .Topresantations '-were :mado to. the llimstor for Juitice by a deputation. , ' The deputation was :adVised to submit 1 their information to tho' police,.who would' thoroupon make* full inquiry to ascertain.:whether fcriminal' proccedinas would lie. A special.'-'"officer: was (ictached to proceed to Auckland to make .inquiry,'and, after a very full investigation, ex-. laustinß-every ..source of information, it,was found that' tli»r<j w,-,3 insuffiqicht cvidcnoV' to 'Ustify any. criminal proceedini's. against thq' persons alleged to be.concerned. ■•■■■ .-..•/.'."■•■''-. „ ■ : MR/ DINNIE'S REJOINDEn. .!. '^UX '■ ■'. Replying; to Mr.;Arnold,.'the I'rime .Miiiisitr. . declared that bo\is: not,. prepared', to lay - ! -W r.'v Dinnia's stntcmerit. in answer, "to Mr. bishop.j S.M., bii tho condition of K the, : . polico force .'■ be- , fore tho llouse,'bat there is no reason iwhy a privato member should not.do, b0.v.,-, . : .' . ■'■'. '■ ; v ;PAHAPARA IRON DEPOSITS. ,' : The lessees-of tho Parapara". iron-''ideposits have: obtained from tho warden for : the district a certificate of reduction onabliriK them,to work their leaso with nino men until February next; 'Whbri the certificate expires .', the Government will bo able to consider whether it. should 'exorciso its power, oi'. re-entry, but, in view, or recent developments; there,appears to be little prospect of this .extension of State' enterpriso being decided upon. ;;".'. ~'. ,!'■ ■'.".- .'■.,%;.'.!.. :■ ; ;: MOTOR REGULATION, v. ;/ ' '."It fis not considered'that any such, system would bo effectivo so as to afford : to the.public any further protection than that which is'non .afforded, by'; tho criminal law,", is' tho reply 'giyoii?to,--ilT.'.l'Jslior's•■ question as to'.whether the Govqrnment would bring down legislation ompoworing judges or magistrates to deprive .-persona of ■ tlio privilege of, driving motor-cars or riding motor-bicycles in. cases wherojit -is clear ;that such ,persons are , a monacq: to the publji sttfoty. .■'.;'.■.:. .. •';.: '. ■', '■■'•' . , 'A. WHARF CONTRACT.'. . .'.■vHecentiy Mr. M'tareh'asked the.Minister.fqr .Mines;why tenders for cartago 'of State coal from th-3 wharf 1 , id ' Wellington,; tho .contract for.'"which' expired over, twelve inonths ago, were not called for ..on expiry, of. the".terras of oontract. /In reply, [Mr. Al'Kenzio npwV-states that. a.contract was entered into for tho cartage referred to oil October 1,. 1007.. The tiino for tho contract was. let was' one year, and,, at'.the;, termination of-,that period, .the ■(eneral manager asked for. permission to renev.' it for another twelve months; as-he considered- the prices ■ very; reasonable; this was agreed. to;.but the second .terni. has. now expired, arid the Department is about to 'invite ■tresh tenders for the work. . J ;. . : : : '■ The Government intend to 'consider tho advisability of introducing legislation' with tht object orabolishng grand juries;'.:./■. .-"•■'". , The Prime , ■ Minister states that no, infer enco as, what action.the Government may take in regard to the .duty.on Oregon pine 'can'be deduoed.froni the absence of any. reference ,tc the-matter in the Financial Statement/ '■'■.