POLITICAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 59, 7 September 1905, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

IN THE BACK BLOCKS. Tho hardships endured by the backblocks settlers were referred to yesterday by Mr. Jennings, who asked tiie Minister for Public VVorks if he would place a sum on the Estimates to establish a cottage and maternity hospital at Taumaranui and Mokau. The reply given by the Minister was in the usual stereotyped form — "the question was one for the consideration ol the local residents, and should they submit any reasonable proposals the matter would receive the careful consideration of the Government." Mr. Jennings then drew a harrowing picture of what back-bluck settlers have to suffer in times of sicknAss or accident. According to his statements, women suffering terrible agonies have to be curried for miles over roads which ore generally regarded as impassable, and to carry a man with a broken leg over a rough track appears to be a most usual occurrence. Incidentally he reproached the Government with the remarkable difference between its promises on behalf of the back-blocker and its performance, and he prophesied that the time would come when someone would arise who would say, "Unless you give better treatment to the outlying settler, the majority that has hitherto supported the Govern^ eminent will be very considerably lessened." Replying to this, the Minister for Justice contended that the Government deserved every credit for what it hod done for the back-blockers, but he ; made the point that everything could ! not be done at once, and he appeared to suggest to the outlying settler that "patience is a virtue." THE COLONIAL BANK. Further reference to the Colonial Bank liquidation was made in the Housb yesterday, when Mr. Herdman asked the Government whether it would direct the Official Assignee ai Dunedin to furnish the shareholders with a statement setting I forth the names of the accounts in con- ! nection with which the loss of £355,000 was made, and the amount of the loss for which -each' separate account is responsible. The reply of the Premier pointed out than the report of the Petitions Committee is still before tho House, and until the House has come to a conclusion on the matter, it would be against proper procedure for the Government to anticipate. This reply did not satisfy Mr. Herdman, who said the position of the Government seemed to be that the shareholders who had petitioned the House -had not a good cause. He urged that the Official Assignee should be asked to make an investigation. The shareholders could not get a satisfactory report. They wanted a report. They had exhausted their legal remedies, and came to the House for assistance, and he urged the Government to direct the Official Assignee to report on the matter. Would the Premier deny that some time ago he sent Mr. Heyes down to Dunedin to investigate the affairs of the Colonial Bank, and that Mr. Heyes passed the thing over to the Official Assignee? Why should not the Premier, he asked, direct the Official Assignee to make a report? If the Premier would not do that, he (Mr Herdman) realised that he could speak in the House until the crack of doom, and he would never be able to get any satisfaction. He could quite understand that the Premier Mas not prepared to give any satisfaction to the I shareholders. THE LEASEHOLDS. In committees on paragraph C of clause 1 of the Premier's land proposal, Mr. Ell will move an amendment to the following effect: — "Provided that no more Crown lands shall be alienated by way of sale for cash or occupation with right of purchase until after the electors of New Zealand have been directly consulted and have given their sanction tkpreto by a referendum vote." JOTTINGS. The Commissioner of Customs says it is not considered necessary to increase the poll-tax on Chinamen, the total number of departures of Chinese Irom the colony for the first half of this year having exceeded the arrivals by fifteen. Dur•ing the last sir years there was an excess of departures over arrivals of 287. i The Minister in charge of Hospitals j for Mental Diseases is of opinion tliat a j special Board of Appeal for attendance at Mental Hospitals is not necessary. The Government does not propose to lay on the table of the House the report of the Departmental Board set up to enquire into the working of the State coalmines. In rep.y to Mr. Hogg, the PostmasterGeneral intimates that he cannot provide direct telephonic communication between Wellington and the Wairarapa. The estimated cost would, the Postmaster-Gen-eral says, be about £6300, and the working oxpenses would be £915 per annum. , The railway superannuation scheme, says Sir J. G. Ward, is in a sound financial position, and he urges that there ia no necessity to submit the scheme to an actuary. In his speech on the land debate Mr. Lawry was reported to have said that "if any lefeSee wanted the freehold he should surrender his lease and pay the full .value of his holding." Mr. , Lawry explains that what he (fid s»j Was that the lessee should be paid the utmost shilling for the improvements effected on his holding.