QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1537, 5 September 1912, Page 6

QUESTIONS BY MEMBERS.

THE MINING STRIKES. , WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS • DOING. Mr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) asked the Minister for Labour what steps the Government had taken or intended to take to brill}; tho strikes at Waihi and Reefton to an end? Tho Hon. W. F. MASSEY (Minister for Labour) replied: The Government have done and ore --still doing everything possible to bring about « settlement. .Negotiations have been going on between the parlies to'the dispute at Reeflou and the Minister for Labour, but up to the present they have not been successful. Two Conciliotion Commissioners have also visited Waihi and reported on Ihe position there. The Government are acting on their report, but do not think it advisable in the public interest to make any further statewent at the present Juncture,

SCENIC RESERVE. -Mr. D. H. GUTHRIE (Oroua) asked the Minister for Lands whether ho will take steps to secure for Feilding and tho surrounding districts that beautiful piece of native bush, being portion of the Kawakawa property, situated on tho main road from Feilding to Palmerston. Ho added that this property was to bo cut up and sold in small areas, and consequently this piece of-bush, tho last in tho district, was likely to be lost. The Hon. AY. F. MASSEY (Minister for Lands) replied that. the. matter would l>c at. once submitted to the Scenery Preservation Board for report. EDUCATION BOARDS. Mr. G. WITTY (Riccarton) asked the Government whether they will extend the franchise for the election of members of Education Boards «o as to have them elected on the same franchise as School Committees. The Hon. ,T. ALLEN (Minister for Education) replied: The question is one of thoso arising in connection with the matters contained in the report of the Education Commission, which I propose, as soon as the evidence is printed, to ask the House to refer to tho Education Committee. ' MORTGAGE TAX. Mr. R. M'CALLTTM (Woirau) asked the Minister for Finance whether he will introduce an amendment to the Land and Income Assessment Act, 1908, providing for an exemption from the mortgage lax of all mortgagees whoso total respective incomes from all sources (including that from the interest derived from their mortgages) does not exceed .C3OO. » Tho Hon. J. ALLEN (Minister for Finance) replied: It is not.tho intention of the Government to .bring in legislation as is suggested by the honourable member. Under our present system of 'direct taxation mortgages are treated as if they were land, and if the exemption suggested were applied to mortgagees there would be no reason why it should not be also applied to landowners who do not realise ,£3OO profit per annum. Before any such suggestion could be given effect 'to the whole question of tho incidence of our direct taxation'would require to bo reconsidered, and provision made for the loss of revenue which would result. RIFLE CLUBS. Mr. T. M. AYILFORD (Hutt) asked the Minister for Defence whether he would provide this year, free of charge, an extra hundred rounds of ammunition to members of,rifle clubs. . . . Tho Hon. JAMES ALLEN (Minister for Defence) replied: At present each member of a rifle club receives from the Department annually a free issue of 150 rounds of ammunition, and may (purchase an additional supply un to 200 rounds at ss. per hundred. If he desires to purchase a still further quantity, it may be had t at cost price. The matter-of making provision for a. free issue of an extra hundred rounds will receive careful consideration having, regard to the largo increase in tho number'and membership of rifle clubs in the future, caused by the posting_ of a large proportion of young men liable to undergo training to rifle clubs instead of to Territorial companies, where exigencies require it.

WAIRARAPA LAND., Mr. W. C. BUCHANAN (Wairarapa) asked the Native Minister: Whether he will, at as early a date as possible, place at the disposal of settlers that portion of the Waitutumu Native Block in the Wairarapa, recently purchased by the Government; also whether he will give instructions for the purchase of the remainder of the block as soon as possible? The Hon. W. H, HEBEIES (Native Minister) replied: The purchase has not yet been completed by the Crown, and is being dealt, with by the Native Land Purchase-Board, but it will bo pushed on as rapidly as possible, and the 'block will be made available for 'settlement as soo.n as the necessary arrangements can bo made. ' V ; WELLINGTON,/™ PALMERSTON, Mr. W. H. D. BELL (Wellington Suburbs) asked the Minister for Public Works whether he would cause, trial surveys to he made of the several suggested routes of deviation of the Wellington to Pallnerston North railway. Tho Hon. W. ERASER (Minister for Public Works) replied: The Engineer-in-Chief has already reported adversply on certain proposed deviations between Wellington .and Palmerston North. If tho honourable member for Wellington Suburbs and ■ Country District will indicate more particularly what deviation he desires to have surveyed it will be possible to reply more definitely to him.