POLITICAL NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 93, 17 October 1906, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

MORE- MINISTERS'? When the Ward Ministry' was formed there was a rumour dn circulation to the effect that the number of Ministers was to be increased. A reminder of this statement was given in the House yesterday, when, the Executive Council Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, tho title of which is "An Act to amend the law relating to disqualification in the case of members of the Executive Counoil." There aTe only two clauses in the Bill, |he principal points providing for an increase in the number of members of the Executive Council from ten to twelve, •''of which number two must be Maoris or half-castes." When the Bill was introduced Mr. Massey asked what were the circumstances which led up to the introduction of tho Bill The Premier explained &at as th© law now stood, if a European was appointed as a member of the Executive Council in the Legislative Assembly, then the Attorney-General became a Civil servant, and lost his salary. The Bill proposed to fix the number of the Executive Council at twelve members, of which two must be Maoris or half-castes, and it removed an existing inconsistency which would not admit of an appointment being made without the Attorney-General losing his salary. Under *he operative clause of the Bill the number of members was fixed at twelve^ inutead of ten. Mr. Massey: This is giving the Government power to appoint two more Ministers ! The Premier : Yes, that is so ; but it /is not increasing the number of paid Ministers. Mr. Massey: There is nothing 'to prevent this Arouse appointing those extra members. Sir Joseph Ward : Twrt might be appomte dby this House or two from the Upper" House. THE MILLION LOAN. The Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Bill (the Premier) was brought down to tho House yesterday afternoon by Governor's Message* Th© Bill makes provision for raising a loan of one mil-, lion pounds, for the following purposes: — £450,000 for tiie construction of the Kawakawa- G-rahamtown, Helensville Northwards, Gisborne-Rotorua, Egmont branch, Sfcratftfrd-Kawakawa, MartonTe Awamutu, Blenheim-Waipara, Midland, Greymouth-Hokitika. (extension to Ross), Westport-Inangatua, NgahereBlackball, Otago Central, LawrenceRoxburgh, Catlins-Seaward Bush, Rivers-dale-Switzexs, Orepuke-Wuiau railways, permanent-way and other materials ; £75,000 for additional rolling-stock for open lines, and 6iich other works and purpose* in connection therewith as may be authorised; £400,000 for the construction of roads, tracks, and bridges for the purpose of opening up backblocks for land , settlement ; £25,000 for goldfields development : and £50,000 in Tespect of telegraph extension. Not moT© than 4£ per cent, interest is to bo paid for the sums to be raised undei\the loan. THE AUSTRALIA-NEW ZEALAND TREATY. When the Australia-New Zealand reciprocity treaty was entered upon as a preliminary agreement in August last, the collection of certain duties under the agreement was authorised by resolution of the'Hotise of Representatives pending' the adoption' or rejection of the tTeaty. Yesterday the Premier brought down the Customs Duties Adjustment Bill, which ratifies the resolution of the House, and] gives "the necessary authority for resfunding the exqess duties collected' under the resolution up to the 4th 'October, when the fate of the treaty was decided. THE PUBLIC REVENUES ACT. The Piiblic Revenues Act Amendment Bill, which was brought down in the House by Governor's Message late last night, provides for the abolition of the departmental audit, and brings all the departments at present outside the jurisdiction of the Audit Office under its supervision. Provision is also made, m terms of the powers granted under the principal Act, to transfer balanocs for the purposes ,of payment from one account to another, but such transfers are to be restored to their original accounts within throe ' months from the date of the transfer, and all such tran&fere are to bo laid before Parliament, within ten days after the commencement* "of each seesiou. SCENERY PRESERVATION. An amendment to the Scenery Preservation Act was introduced in the House by Governor's .Message late last night. The Bill provides" for the constitution of a Soenery Preservation Board consisting of the Surveyor-General, the Superintendent of Tourist and Health Resorts, and the Commieoioner of Crown Lands for the land district in which is situated any land proposed to be acquired or dealt with under tho Act. The Commissioner of Crown Lands shall bo deemed to be a member of the board only in cases where the functions of the board are exercised in connection with land situato within the land district of which ho is the commissioner. The Governor may appoint a secretary to the board, and may also appoint one or more inspectors, and may prescribe their duties and functions. The board shall inspect any lands possessing scenic or historic interest, or on which there are thermal springe, and make enquiries- respecting the same and report to the Governor. Where the land recommended to be reserved is Crown land tho Governor may by " proclamation declare the same to be a reserve under tho principal Act. Where the' land is other than Crown land it may be taken as a public work under the Public Works Act, 1905. It js also provided that in tho case of native land reserved with the consent of the 'Maori owners or taken under the principal Act, the Governor may, by notice in the Gazette, grant to Maoris the right to snare or shoot birds not specially protected for the time beinp, or, where such Native lands include any Ancestral burial-grounds of Maoris, the right to bury deceased Maoris therein, JOTTINGS. Mr. M'Lachlan wants an Animals Protection Bill introduced this session. Now that South Australia, is declared free from phylloxera, Mr. Ell wants the Minister of Lands to remove the restriction on the importation of grapes from that State. The member for Ashburton thinks tlie Government should acquire the Springfield Estate, of 12,000 or 13,000 acres, for close settlement. Sir Wm. Steward is asking the Minister of Agriculture whether, with a view to tho development and extension of tho manufacture and export of phormium fibre, he will offer a. bonus or obbjjrwise take steps to encourage the cultivation of the best varieties of New Zealand flax, and, generally, what steps he. proposes to take with a view to turning to tho best account the large national asset which the colony possesses in this valuable indigenous plant? The Hon; Mr. Guinness has given no--tice of his intention to ask the Premier whether the Government intend to place a sufficient sum upon the Estimates for the purpose of pr6viding and erecting a statue of tho late Right Hon. R. J. Seddon in tho Barliameut grounds or P&rHkmeatarx Building*!: „