POLITICAL POINTS

Evening Star, Issue 23950, 30 July 1941, Page 9

POLITICAL POINTS

COUNTY AMALGAMATION PETITIONS SMALL FARMS FOR SOLDIERS (F.0.P.R.) WELLINGTON, July 29. Thre petitions aggregating over 1,500 signatures were referred recently to the Public Petitions Committee of the House requesting that the amalgamation proposals affecting the Clutha, Tuapeka, and Bruce counties should not be proceeded with without a referendum being taken of the ratepayers concerned. Lawrence residents petitioned similarly, but the committee reported that it had agreed that the petitions ho withdrawn at the request of the member who presented them. Congratulations were extended to the new member for Waitcmata by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, in the House. He said Mrs Drearer was succeeding Captain Lyon, who made a name for himself both here and overseas, and ho felt sure she would be a worthy successor. “ The new member,” added Mr Jones, “ was born in my electorate, educated at two primary schools there, and I should say that is a good enough foundation for" any member of the House.”

Small farms development was pushed oh last year according to the Lands Department’s annual report. Existing blocks were further developed, and another 19.100 acres came under control. Private land purchased now totals 160,600 acres, mostly in Taranaki and Auckland districts. The Government’s decision to provide for the settlement of discharged soldiers in the present war under the Small Farms Act was given effect to in the 1940 amendment. This included a clause giving preference to applications from discharged soldiers, and also gave the Small Farms Board power to acquire land compulsorily for soldier settlement. “ This power will not be exercised unless it is found impossible to obtain sufficient suitable land by negotiation. The number of offers at present coming forward is' entirely satisfactory. Twenty-one properties acquired during the year by the Dominion Land Purchase Board were handed over to the Small Farms Board for development and settlement.” The general revenue from Crown lauds amounted to £1,700,454 last year, almost half a million above the receipts of the previous year. New rural areas taken up for the first time wefe 42 of 3.961 acres. Arrears of rent total £378.107. Last year’s remissions were £25,000, Although 103 estates, aggregating nearly 250,000 acres, were offered the Government last rear under the Land for Settlements Act, it is disclosed that only 31.000 acres were purchased, the explanation being the smallness of operations due solely to the unsuitability or excessive prices of the majority of the properties offered. How Budget surpluses can bo managed was explained by Mr Wilkinson from behind the Opposition 'benches in the House to-night. He had hoard a previous Government speaker boast of six successive surpluses, but these, he declared, were largely illusory. Two accounts were kept by the Government—one the public revenue and the other public works, which was maintained from borrowed money. Thus it was quite easy to create a surplus, because it was just a matter of how much to charge the fund created from borrowed money. He understood that the salaries of the Public Works Department from tho head to the office boy were paid from borrowed money. If they came from the revenue account they would reduce tho surplus. Britain had only one account. containing all transactions. Hero, with two accounts, it was easy to manipulate to create a surplus, though lie was not making any reflection on the Minister of B’inance by using tho word! manipulation. ,