POLITICAL NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 September 1924, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

AGRICULTURE CLUBS

(BY TELEGRAPH—I*RERB ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, Sept, 5. ,In the House of Representatives this evening, Mr J R. Corrigan (Patea) suggested that some of teh profits of the disposal of the Moumahaki experimental farm which is being sold by the Government should De distributed among the branches of the Farmers’ Union in Taranaki as subsidies for the agricultural clubs for girls and boys whicb had been established there. The Minister of Agriculture (the Hen. W. Nosworthy) replied that he was prepared to grant £2OOO for these clubs throughout the Dominion. MOUMAHAKI FARM. The Minister of Agriculture indicated the intentions of theGovemment in regard .to the disposal of the Moumahaki State Farm during the course of the debate on the agricultural estimates to-night. Mr Nosworthy said that the Govern .ment were' disposing of all the .main sections and holding the homestead section. ..enlying to a question by Mr R. Masters, lie said that the proceeds would, be devoted to instructional work in the West Coast district between Wanganui and New Plymouth. DAIRY CONTROL BOARD. The ward election system for the Dairy Export Control, Board was advocated by Mr R. Masters (Stratford) during the course of the; debate, on the agriculture' eStiinatos. Mr Masters ■pointed-'-but? that there was dissatisfaction throughout the Dominion, regarding the . present method of election with two electorates only, the North Island and the South Island. Out of 35,556 eligible to vote in the North Island only 12,040 voted, and of 19,500 eligible to vote in the South only 7367 voted. This was proof, said Mr Masters, that the candidates were not known to the dairy suppliers, many of whom, therefore, refrained from recording their votes. The Minister had, during the passage of the Dairy Control Bill, approved of the principle of the ward system. The Minister, in reply, said that at cue time he did believe in the y ard system, but he was not now of .that opinion because of the turn things had taken. It was a matter that lent itself to experiment.