POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 20614, 14 October 1930, Page 6

POLITICAL POINTS

THE DAY’S WORK [Fuoii Ocu Pauuame.vtakt Rw-okter.] WELLINGTON, October 13. Five Government Bilk disappeared from the order paper as tjie result of the legislative efforts of the House to-day. These were the Statutory Land Charges Bill, Registration Amendment . Native Washing-up, Land Washing-up, Apprentices’ Amendment, and the Stock Amendment, all of which were put through the committee stages, read a third time, and passed. To the Stock Amendment Bill the Minister of Agriculture accepted an amendment permitting an owner to remove stock at night from one farm to another in bis possession, provided they are not six miles apart. Three measures were introduced by GovernorGeneral’s Message—the Anns Amendment Bill, the main provision of which relates to non-registration of shotguns used for sporting purposes: the Native Trustee and Canterbury Agricultural College Amendments, two consolidating measures which were read a first time. Notice was given by Mr Murdoch (Minister of Agriculture) to introduce tho Slaughtering and Inspection Amendment Bill, and the Mouse approved of tho amendments made by the Legislative Council to the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum Bill. The long-awaited report of the Transport Department was presented. It is a LOO-pago document brimful of statistical and other information of interest. In the evening the House settled down to the second rending debate on the Land Laws Amendment Bill, lively shots being fired by Mr Savage (Labour, Auckland West)" and Colonel M‘Doiiald (United, Wairarapa), both of whom claimed that what was wanted was not more laws, but serious administration of existing legislation. The debate had not ended when the House adjourned. Arrangements were made for tho House to sit until mid-

night lor the remainder of the week up to Thursday, but it is still uncertain whether it will be possible to complete the work liy Saturday. In reply to an inquiry by your representative, the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Ransom) said that on to-day’s programme tho House should be able to rise at the week-end, but if tho Railway Com mission, Hornell and Soldiers’ Rehabilitation reports were to bo discussed, the work might run into next week. WILDEN JUSTIFIED, A sneer at Wildcu Settlement by a Labour member, who considered it as only catering for wealthy men, drew a strong justification of this purchase by Mr Bodkin (Central Otago). This subdivision, he said, took thirteen men off the Labour market, and they would become independent settlers. It was a magnificent deal for the country. As for the selectors being wealthy, he know them all One came to the dominion with very little capital, and was working as a shepherd when he succeeded in tho ballot; another was a working man on the station, and. ns an employee, was allowed to select one area; a third selector was the station manager. The thirteen were landless men. Good high eountry men had taken up VV'lden, and were of the right type to make it a success. If critics wished In not convincing evidence they should look up the Railway Commission’s investigation into the closing of the Edievnlo branch line. When the settlers showed how much superphosphate they were getting, and the amount of stock which would come off Wilden Estate, they had no difficulty in persuading the commission to keep the railway open for goods traffic. WilcLn, be confidently predicted, would turn out greatly to the Government’s credit for it was producing a well-balanced settlement.