LATEST FROM THE LOBBIES.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 43, 19 August 1902, Page 6

LATEST FROM THE LOBBIES.

ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. The annual report of the Government Advances to Settlers' Office was laid on the Table of the House this afternoon. Tho instalments of interest ond principal to the 31st March, 1901, have been collected in full, no sum remaining outstanding on 31st March, 1902. Up to 31st March last the Board had authorised 11,312 advances!! amounting to £3,736,620. A total of 1450 applicants declined the grants offered them, amounting to £662,935, so that tht net advances authorised to 31st March, 1902, numbered 9862, and amounted to £3,073,685. , 'J"he securities for the net authorised advances were valued at £6,737,611, and these' are in many instances being enhanced by the expenditure in improvements of part of tho money borrowed and tho liability reduced by the periodical repayment of interest in the case of instalment loans. The 1 per pent, jinking fund in the hands of the Public Trustee Amounted to £95,954. As in the. case of the Government Valuation Department the Au-ditor-General declined to certify to the accounts owing to some technical grounds, and the refusal is to be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee. CHEMISTS' COMMISSIONS. The Chemists' Payment of Secret Commissions Prevention and Rota of Attendance Bill, introduced ihto tht Legislative Council by the Hon. H. Feldwick, makes the payment of commissions by a chemist to a medical practitioner an offence, and prescribes a rota of attendance for registered chemists at their places of business.