POLITICAL NOTES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 16 July 1924, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES

LAND SETTLEMENT. NEW MINISTER’S PLANS. (By Telegraph.—Special to Star). WELLINGTON, July 15. A cautious tone was adopted by the new Minister tor Lanas in referring in in the House to-day to the future ol land settlement. As a reply to Opposition critics, he said .that since 1919 10,626 selections of land had been made, involving 3,-579,0U0 acres. He thought he would not, he added, declare that all this land was occupied at present, but it showed that settlement had taken place, but until some deHation occurred in the extreme high land values for areas suitable for small settlement it would be courting disaster to proceed actively. He intended to watch this aspect closely. Few people realised that there were over £50,000,000 invoLved in land settlement in New Zealand. This required a big machine to handle thoroughly, and lie would not say there was no room for improvement in handling such an enormous national estate. lie was sure the best intelligence would have to be brought to bear on clearing up the many difficulties, including chattel securities, stock mortgages, and the thorough handling of hooded lands before it could be said that land settlement m New Zealand was completely successful. SOLDIERS’ LANDS.

Mr McLeod predicted that the most serious losses in connection with soldier settlement would be in. connection with Part 2 of the Act, under wnich soldiers matte then own selections. 'l'ne ‘revaluation system was going on successfully, ana ne was quite- sine that Parliament did not desire the Government to interfere with the operations of this Board. He was getting its reports., and it would be round as the work proceeded that although one might just as web ask for the' moon as to expect everyone to be satisfied, yet there would be, generally speaking, satisfactory results to the bulk of the- soldier settlers. Most complaint- would arise under .section 2 of the Act. If there were second mortgages amounting to as much, or more than the first mortgage, and -any holder of the second mortgage' stood firm, making no reduction, he did not- see how they could meet the position and hardship would undoubtedly occur in such cases. It was not alone with soldier settlers that these difficntlies were being encountered.

COUNTRY SCHOOL TROUBLES

“Teachers’ salaries to-day are dependent upon the vagaries of the weather, the whims of parents and the health of children,’’ declared Mr Murdoch (Marsden) in the House to-day. He held that the proposition was not fair that the salary of any civil servant- should depend upon such factors, particularly in vi-eiv of the had weather experienced in many country districts. It was well known, he said, that in country districts the children could not get to school in bad weather, and the average attendance was thus affected. He suggested that the schools should be graded upon tae average roll or some such method. DOING HTS DUTY. The duties of parliamentarians are not always to their liking, but nevertheless they have to be undertaken as cheerfully as possible. A typical instance cropped up in the House when Mr Tsitfc (Christchuresh North), who is strongly opposed to all forms of gambling, presented a petition advocating the licensing of bookmakers. His fellow-members appreciated the humour of the situation, and a titter went round the House.