NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 7

NEWS AND NOTES.

/.-/ ;:: ; //.'/; THE 'LANp.-BILL; ';„,;■'/■ ' It is-pfbDabio that Dr. : Pindlay's- interjection in the Legislative Cauiicil that the Land; bill will bo brought dowii fur' its Second , reading will be bbrhe nut bv thb event. It is, expected that Sir Joseph "Ward/will move 'thb secdnd reading l with-tho object of ;,contcying tho imipressiori; thit/hb'is/ iii; ear'h'est': in/his desire to get tho Bill passed, and also of; ciiabiing ttbvorhmdjit nininbers' .who .were..placed in.nii awkward position by Mr.'Mnssey's amendments thb other iaj. to,explain',thcir;positions; There is talk of; holding a, cohforeiico.between the leasehold, arid: freehold- mombofs/ oh! the Govornhient side, and' it, is nnderstobd that the l Government; will probably abandon 1 that portion of "the .Bill which, proposes tO; give the, freehold tb 'tenants, under;,the' renewable lease. This would.: bear out Mr; ' Massey's statement,: mado. iu; thb lleuse: on Thursday, that'-the: Government .xwas.: already -."backing dowu". on its freehold'viows;' . There is no chahcb dt getting thd Land .Bill .passed before Christmas,,arid if thb second reading is moved, there is dvery likelihood of other, amendments lqeing.riibved which will embarrass tho GoverninentVfrPi.holdcrs.,. - ; /":./ ;/ , •'.',".' ;-,'

/".Tho'.'abovd . Opinions;,- are •'based bri' :good authprity.';On,tho/othef: hand, ;-n. 'prominent Goverhriient leasehblder. assured: oiir represen-: tativb.: yesterday.-that - it was hardly Zpcssiblo that Sir Joseph AVard would, nidvo the second 'reading: of tho Bill: Evdn if .lip removed tho provisions in' rognrd. to the - renewable 'leases, -.which' are most strongly, resented by tlio leaseholders, : tho latter would still bo strongly ;opppsed'to'thd measure. /Thb:leasbhnld members, it ■ is-'stated,- aro '. determined; not: to lot.' tho Bill-go through in nhy-.form until they have addrossed' hidoting9 .throughout the country.'--'.

:/',; : TO DOCK THE/DnEApNOUGHt. Mri;J.'Duhcaft is to ask thd Primp' Minister iu:'view bf. the .'fact, that a ship of. the Dreadnought : class :. has a, maxiimiln dfaught'of 31ft„ and,'also, that the Auckland channel by the chart shows a depth of water of: only 33ft;, it is hot' desirable; that,; .before further' expenditure' lipbh a. dock in .• Auckland Harbbur is-urged- uponthd. Adiuiraltj-,' a commission bb-set up,to inqiiird'as to the most suitable harbpur in New.Zealand;for.a naval basb.and suitable dookyards.,:,'.:'

. / MORNING SITTINGS. •: --/. ; The Prime Minister has given übtiob tp movb to-day -that', on arid after Monday- next, thb House sit daily, from 10 a.m. until rising>: for the conduct of .business; Government business to take.precedence..-', .--,-- •; ''-LEASE-IN-PERPETUiTY SECTIONS. : .''Tho number of-tenants-'under :tho. loase-in-perpetuity systoni, including ; the ■•'.Cheviot Special' Settlement Act, Who. have sold the goodwill-'of'-'their 'leases,: -is 1794; Tho/iiumber of times the goodwjll .of such sections has been'sold is 2960. In one case, 0C4125 \vas received for the goodwill, the'valuation, for improvements, being MU2. In another, case,- X 2200 was received for the goodwill of one lease at the :hrst/ sale, arid .£4000; at the second salo, the valuation in tho- first instance -for improvements being '£2SA,.and\in the:.sc«ohd.inatirice j£475. In one instance (in Hawka's Bay) jßGoOO'was received 'for.goodwill,'the valuation for improvements - In another case in H:lwko's Bay as much as/£7BIO was received for' goodwill, thd, valuation for improvements 'being'iEUlS. .'; -' . '.". V-. ; ''•-;.' .- :i ••

'77 REAPPOINTMENTS TO COUNCIL, .' .: . Tho Hons. R.. H. Jl .Reeves, W.' C.' Smith, and G.-Jones, whose seven years' term 'tis members of the Legislative Council expires on Monday next, have, been reappointed for a further .term.!., :;..;!/ 7. ;■.'V ':-''/'' ■ '.7 7:7 ■:i;- ;.-' : ;7..: ', local bills. 77: 7 ; 7 The Lauds Committee : have endorsed the recommendation. ; of the Local Bills Committee that the Westport Water Supply Conservation ■Bill'.be-not allowed to proceed. . The- Inglowood Technical' School Site ' Bill .has: passed the .Lands. Committee. "•'•' '■\ 77" 7 HUTT,PARK BILL. ...Tho: Lands Committee have passed the, Hutt Park Bin, reinserting.Clause 4, which proposes ti increase from 10'tu 26 tho number of days on which charges for admission may bo.made.. 'JOTTINGS.-.; ;A return'presented to' Parliament yesterday shows th'it the cost: of Licensing Committee ejections was .254307.,. 7Mr.,Wilf6rd ; is asking the Minister for Railways whether ho is. awaro that tho' alteration ili the railway tinie-table seriously, affects tho Murigaroa and Sllverstreitih ■ schoolchildren who.have to.attend .the Upper Hutt School, ' •Mr. Field is drawing tho Minister's attention to the difficulty whioh the new. railway timetable places in the way ;of children of ParemntaV attending the Plinimcrtou School.-, /■•: