NEWS AND NOTES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1197, 4 August 1911, Page 6

NEWS AND NOTES.

NEW BILLS. FKIENDLY SOCIETIES AMENDMENT. The Friendly Societies Amendment Bill, which has been introduced by the Hon. J. A. Miliar, proposes that registration under the principal Act shall not be granted to any society or branch until the rates'of contributions for sickness, death, superannuation, and annuity benefits provided by the rules of the. society are acttiarily certified. Tho registrar is given discretionary power to exempt any society to which ho considers this requirement is inapplicable. Registration may be granted to a society which provides for a benefit by means of an assessment or orjiial levy, if the registrar is satisfied that adequate provision is made for the benefit. The Bill proposes that when a society invests its funds on mortgage or other security over land, the amount invested must not exceed twothirds of the value of the security. The principal Act allows investment to the extent of three-fifths of the land and onehalf of the value of the improvements. REGISTRATION OF LAND AGENTS. The Bill introduced by Mr. G. 'Witty proposes that all persons carrying oil' business as land agents must hold a licerase granted by the local authority of the district in which they respectively reside. Each application for a license must be accompanied by a fidelity bond for .£SOO from some approved insurance company; the license foe is to be determined by each loM.l authority, but it must not exceed &.I. PRIVATE MEMBERS , BILLS. The Land Amendment Bill (Mr. Newman) is intended to give Crown tenants two electivo members of each Land Board, instead of one as at present. For this purpose it is proposed to divide each land district into two wards. The term of office of elective members is to be increased from two to three years. Mr. Hogg, in his Abolition of Duties on Food Bill, proposes to entirely abolish the import duties on flour, bran, pollard, oatmeal, rolled oats, groats, potatoes, starch, farina, butter,.and cheese. Mr. Bollard has charge of the private Bill to amend the Guardian, Trustees, and Executors Company Act, 1883. The Legislature Amendment Bill.- providing for tho repeal of the Second BaJlot Act, was introduced by Mr. Fisher yesterday afternoon, and read a first time. LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT, THE NEW ASSOCIATIONS FORMED. The annual report on the Lands for Settlement Act was presented to Parliament yesterday. During ' the year, 81 properties, containing 350,708 acres, were offered, but 'only U, containing U. 399 acres, were purchased. The actual expenditure was .£153,796, making a total of .£5,566,588 since 1892, for the purchase of 1,252,495 By far the largest number of properties, offered were in Canterbury and though the prices, were considered, high, they were not so excessive as the prices demanded further north , . ■ The board , did not feel justified in recommending any great area for purchase, as the margin between the purchasing and letting value was not considered sufficient to' warrant the State's accepting the responsibility, of placing settlers on the land. ' ' •

The report states it is evident that there is an unsatisfied demand for-land, and every endeavour is being made to meet such, but at. the same time the interests of the Dominion as well as of the settlers have to be considered. The balancesheet of the account shows a credit balance for the year ended March 31 last of •1tt1.395. Under the Land Settlement Finance Act, eleven associations have been incorporated, vritli GS members, and an' area of 9153 acres, valued at ,£132,802. There are nine other associations under consideration. Ten have been declined, a few oa. account of unsuitability, but- tho largest number owing to tho high value placed upon the land. There is a tendency among members to enter, into the agreement without first making themselves thoroughly conversant with its provisions. Probably, says Commissioner Ritchie, in his report, tho desire to get a piece of laud without any great immediate outlay has something to do with this. Notwithstanding an agreement, the board has in nearly every instance secured a material reduction on the >price, agreed upon, and at the same lime arranged for a moro equal apportionment ■■ of the purchase money, and a' better division ol the area. " There nro still some- defects in 'the Act, which Mr. Ritchie says .'should be remedied. The intention of the Act as regards residence is not in nil cases being complied with. It is recommended to meet this by providing for , a money deposit at tut. time of application. As time goes on, it is anticipated that large areas will be settled under the Act. "HOLDING ON." There were some light passages in tho HoHfe yesterday while Mr. Fisher was twitting the Government with an unwisely rapid alienation of Crown lands. At one stage, annoyed by hostile intw-jectorj. the member for Wellington Central. remarked that the Government had had' an opportunity of hanging on to- 50,000 acre? at 10s. 4d. an acre in tho Mokau Block, and had failed to do it Mr, Witty: "They have hold on. to these benches long enough, anyhow." TOO MUCH "CAREFUL ATTENTION." A strong appeal for the rapid prosecution of irrigation works in the Cromwell district (Central Otago) was made by tho member for Wakatipu (Mr. "\V. Frascr) in a speech upqu the Address-hi-Reply last evening. Mr. Frnscr said that the Government had promised to . give this matter its careful attention. It was precisely to this that he t>ok exception. The matter had been so carefully-attend-ed to that nothing had been done. The Hon.' R. M'Kenzio: "You only gave us the money a few months ago." * . Jliv Fraser said .the money had been on the Estimates for several years. It was of vital importance to the district of Cromwell that something should bo done in the way of .irrigation. Land that appeared to be worthless was wondfrfully transformed by the application of water. If this "careful attention" were continued, people would bo driven awoy from the district although there was no need that this should occur. People had grown up to manhood waiting for something to be done, and they were waiting yet. PETITIONS. The petition of T. Mitchell, of Puhi Puhi, which was. presented bv Mr. Massey yesterday afternoon, i? ondorepd by 71 signatories. Tho petitioner states that after he had been working for five years in tho State plantation at Puhi Puhi ho was discharged upon unreasonable grounds. His object in approaching Uie Legislature is, he states "to chock tho tyranny which is bringing the name of the Government into disrepute." Thomas P. Willason. of Walter Street, Wellington, has asked for an inquiry regarding his. dismissal from the service of tha State. His petition states that he was employed as a gardener at Government House in June, 1910, and on complaining about his payment for overtime work was dismissed.

"I liave petitioned tlio House for over forty years," states Albert Plummer, of Syniond Street, Auckland, in his petition for compensation for loss sustained on a contract with the Government in IS6S. Once more lie is making an appeal for consideration, in the hope lhat Parliament will "oirrive at a just decision." QUESTIONS FOR MINISTERS. JFr. Button is to ask the Acting-Primo Minister if tho Government will consider l.he advisability of introducing legislation this session to alter tho term of Parliament to five years instead of three. Mr. E. 11. Taylor is offering n suggestion to 'the Minister for Education tlint the time has arrived idien State boarding schools for country children should bo established, fees bciivi charged suilicient to cover expenditure. I Mr. "I'earce is to as!c the Minister, for 1 Public Works vlion tlio railway line to J

T.he Monnl: E-rmont. quarry will bo complcfed, ami when supplies of metal will be obtainable by locnl todies. Mr. M'Lαroil hns given notice to ask (he Minister for Education if he. intends this session to bring down nil amendment of the Education Act to provide that all members of education boards shall bo elected by the direct vote of the people. RAILWAY MATTERS. . Mr. Wilford gave notice yesterday to ask tho Minister of Railways tho following nine questions:—Why a differentiation is made- between single men and married men in regard to lodging allowance in the matter of temporary transfers when the regulations do not differentiate? Whether he will arrange for tho payniaat to porters and shunters for overtime work, where, owing to shortage of staff and increase of business, especially at country stations, they arc require* to work unreasonably long hours. 1. Whether it. is a fact, that in the maintenance department when a member is off duty for two months in any year (for whatever cause) his leave is not granted till ho has completed a full year's work, and what is the reason for such rule? Whether he is aware that porters are employed for long hours as shunters, such work being paid for at porter rates, and not at shunter rates? Why goods-shed and traffic casuals are now classed one-skilling-per-hour men, thus losing privilege tickets and , passes? Why the new railway regulations provide for privilege tickets only, while under tho former regulations maintenance men were allowed to return to'their homes at intervals? Whether it is a fact that the weekly passes, formerly granted to tho wives of members of tho service living in isolated places, have been taken from them; and, if so, why? What is the reason for the curtailment of the pass privileges of the second division men? (Note.—They were formerly entitled to first-class passes, now they are not.) AVhethor he will carefully inquire* into all the details connected' with transfer allowance, especially with regard to board allowed on arrival at the new place of transfer? (Note.—A man who is ordered to transfer with, a wife and six children found on his arrival at his newplace of employment no house available, ;and had to board himself, his wife, and six children until a residence was available, the Department only paying for two days' board and lodging). Mr. Wright is seeking an explanation of the action of the Railway Department in withdrawing the free railway passes which were formerly granted to shooting teams composed of volunteers, territorials, or rifle clubs. TRAMWAY REGULATIONS. Mr. Davey gave notice to ask the Minister for Public Works whether he will submit, the proposed tramway regulations to a Select Committee of the' House. FINANCIAL FACTS WANTED. Another effort is being made by the Opposition to obtain definite information regarding the.Dominion's borrowing transactions. Notice has been given by Mr. Divo of a motion for a return showing all the loans raised during the past five years, with information regarding the terms upon which (hey were raised, and the cost of floating them.