POLITICAI NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 61, 9 September 1905, Page 5

POLITICAI NOTES.

« , OUR IRON DEPOSITS. In the course of his annual statement the^liuister of Mines states that a lease for working the deposits of iron ore at Parapara has been executed, and a deposit of £1000 -lodged with the Public Trustee as a guarantee that tho conditions of tho lease will be carried out. As it is provided in the lease that this deposit shall be forfeited unless the sum of £1000 is expended within the first year of the term in mining operations, with further provision fo* expenditure up to £50,000, it may reasonably be expected, remarks the Minister, that active operations for working the deposits of iron ore at Parapara will be commenced at an early date. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. In reply to tho Leader of the Opposilion, the Premier yesterday stated that the Public Works Statement was ready, and it would be brought down as soon as Mr. Massoy's amendment on the land question was disposed of. THE LAND TENURES. On 31st March last ,lhere were 6780 Crown tenants holding leases in perpotuity under the Land Act, 4182 holding leases under the occupation with right of purchaso tenure, and 2807 holding leases \ in perpetuity undor the Laud for Settlements Act. . MINES STATEMENT. The Minister for Mines, in his annual statement, reports a falling off as regards the- production of precious metals and kauri gum during 1904 as compared with the previous year. It was, however, worthy of note that the gold oxport for 1904 exceeded that of 1902 by over £36,000. The amount of gold entered for export was 520,323 ounces, valued at £1,937,501, and of silver 1,094,461 ounces, valued jit £112,875. Compared with the previous year there was a decrease of £28,952. Other minerals, including coal, lignite, and kauri gum, represented a value of £1,338,858, & decrease of £62,468. The total value iof gold, silver, coal, and other minerals (including kauri gum) produced to 31st December, 1901, was £$9,252,474. For the six months ending 30th Juno, 1905, there was a decrease in tho value of gold and silver exported of £11,490 as compared with tho corresponding period of 1904. The total output of coal and lignite for tho past year was 1,537,838 tons as compared with 1,420,229 tons for 1903. The number of mines at work during the year was 168, and the average number of Eersons employed was 3288. As to the tato coal mines, it is roported that from the Seddonville colliery 33,808 tons were oxtracted, and from the Point Elizabeth colliery 60,-55 tons. NATIVE LANDS. The Premier lias given notice that j when tho House is in Committee on his •land proposals he will move to amend clause 8, dealing^with native lands. His amended proposal is that native lands oc classified the same as Crown lands; that greater facilities be granted for individualising tho titles and exchang. as between native owners of land; and that the Land for Settlements Act bo applied to surplus land owned by natives; and that the native land, *like Crown land, be leased for fifty years, with the right of renewal on revaluation "or not less than twonty-one- or more than fifty years; ana that the law generally in respeot to leasing native lands be amended by extending tho period for leasing from twenty-oiio to fifty years ; and that monetary assistance bo granted to natives to enable iliem to go on .their lands, and every effort bo made to settle natives on their lands.