POLICY?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 151, 26 June 1912, Page 8

POLICY?

CABINET'S LONG SITTING WHAT WILL THE GOVERNOR SAY! To-day the Ministers of the Crown are reflective and /silent (in public). They have to weigh the words which aTe to be put in tho Governor's mouth to-mor-row, &nd,thw delicate process ie being done with all the care of an expert chemist in a laboratory. Cabinet met at 11 o'clock this morning, and eat on till 1.30. After a bare half-hour for rest and , refreshment the members were together again for arduous work. At present the. Government's mind (which is to be reflected by the Governor to-morrow) is as a moving target, and there are many things to mar the aim of snapshooters. However, between, all the rumours one may pick a few probabilities, of which the most substantial one is that the speech of theyi Hon. T. Mackenzie's Governor of June will not be a faithful echo of the words of Sir Joseph Ward's Governor of February. The people can expect a note of caution about borrowing, with a justifies- 1 tion of reasonable loans for development purposes. j By reason of the expansion of the dairying industry and improved methods of cultivating land, the Government may ask Parliament to restrict the occupation of Crown land to 400 acres of first doss, or 1000 acres of second class or 2500 acres of third class. The policy, in brief, will be designed to place the largest possible number of settlers on Crown. lands. It is intended to have safeguards to prevent aggregation of estates, and this intention will apply to bequeathed estatee. In regard to the compulsory acquisition of estates (made difficult during the past two years by the inflation of values) it is the Government's purpose to revert. to the law which was sunereeded by ihe Act of 1908. Cabinet ateo favours simplicity in Native land transactions, and it is> probable that the facilities for proper settlement (by sale or lease) will- be improved. On the agricultural side it is proposed to further help th» man on the land to increase the quantity and quality of produce, and to watch out for new markets. The cost of the defence scheme will not he overlooked, and the importance of economy, 'to . safeguard ■ the national system, will be stressed. The Speech may have a reference to the development of the iron "industry, by private capital, with the aid of a State subsidy, and provision for subsequent purchase by the State. The Government expects to save much money annually by simplifying the work of the Civil Service, in accordance with recommendations which the enquiries of the Commfceionere will lead tliem to make. • It is expected that proposal* will be made for an amendment oi the Conciliation and , Arbitration Act to alter the constitution of the Court. The Second Ballot Act (now decried by all parties) is doomed, and a, system of preferential voting is to be proposed. Light-line railways and improvements in suburban services, extension of post and telegraph and telephone services, are among other things on the 'Ministry's biil-of-fare.

The opening dance of Te Ropu Kantkani .will be held iv • O'DonneD's Hall, Kilbirnie, to-night. On Friday, at 1, at their rooms, Fruit Exchange, Blair-street, Messrs. Thompson Bros., Ltd., will sell unreservedly by public auction a selection of trees, plants, shrubs, roses, daphne, deutzias, etc., from Mason's Gardons, Hutt. Catalogues are now ready. Messrs. E. Johnston and Co. will hold a sale of household furniture and effects on 'the premises, No. 1, A orangi- terrace, off Tinakori-road, to-morrow morning, at 11 o'clock. In the afternoon, commencing at 1.30 o'clock, in their rooms, they trill hold an auction sale of W. B. Hardy's nursery stock and a. collection of rosee and carnations. On Friday, commencing at 11 o'clock on the premises, No. 108, Abel Smith-street, they will sell household furniture, etc. On. Friday and Monday, commencing at 2 o'olock each day, in their rooms, they will hold a sale of jewellery, gold and silver watches, c.p. ware, leather foods, and Kyoto vases, on account of ickard Freres, who are relinquishing their New Zealand business. Miss C. W. Christie, organiser of tho New Zealand section of the Theosophical Society, will hold a public question night on Thursday, at 8 o'clock, at the Theosophical Society's room, Ballance-street. A special meeting of tho Amalgamated Society of Painters and Decorators' Union will be held on Friday evening. This evening a meeting of the Wellington Philosophical Society will be held. The subjects set down for consideration are advertised in this issue. k A tea and mass meeting are being held in the Town Hall this evening — the only publio meeting in connection with the Dominion Convention of Temperance Workers. The Mayor will preside, and the president of the New Zealand Alliance will occupy the vioe-chair. Addresses are to be delivered by the Hon. G. Foflds, Mr. A. S. Malcolm, • M.P., and tho Rev. F. W. Chatterton. Songs are to be given by Mr. F. Layoock and Mrs. C. Mitchell, late of Burmab. Messrs. Harcourt and Co. announce in this issue a sale by publio auction at their rooms, Lambton-quay, on Monday next, at 2.30 p.m., under conduct of the Registrar and by order of the mortgagee, of a dairy farm of over 30 acres at Karori. There is a six-roomed cottage, with outhouses, erected on tho land. On the following day, at 2J50 p.m., the firm will sell a four-roomed house, No. 124, Daniel-street. The sale by Abraham and Williams, Ltd., in conjunction with DaJgety and Co., Ltd., of part of To Matai Estate, Palmerston North, will taka pla<» on Saturday, 13th Juiy. Mr. H. L. Solomon, of Brandon-street, importer, advertises that m future he will take and be known by his own name, that of Harold Lipman Solomou, and not as Harry Savage, as heretofore. Messrs. R. Pearson and Co., Gear's Corner, Cuba-srreet, advertise in this issue that they commence another "slaughter sale" to-morrow. Messrs.^ A. L. Wilson and Co. will hold a sale of six pianos at their rooms, 26, Brandon-street, to-morrow, at 2.30 o'clock On Friday, at 1.30 p.m., they will sell by auction two hundred canaries. Ou Friday, sth July, commencing at 10.30 a.m., they will offer, under instruction from the mortgagees in the estate of Messrs. T. P. Lyons, livery plant, horses, harness, etc. . The Lyttelton Harbour Board, which is effecting various harbour improvements, invites tenders for materials for construction works. • The Stanley Stamp Company advertise that they buy and sell New Zealand stamps, old and current issues, on commission. Price-lists will be forwarded on application. Mr. Courteney V. Mohr, metaphysician, has removed to 221, Wellington-terrace. The New Zealand Farmers' Labour Exchange, under the supervision of the New Zealand Sheep Farmers' Agency, has opened a branch office in Wellington, under the management of Mr. J. D. Cruickshank, where farmers and station owners can be supplied with shearere, ploughmen, and other farm hands.