POLITICAL NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LX, Issue LX, 2 November 1910, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

NOXIOUS WEEDS. A brief measure to amend the Noxious Weeds Act has been introduced by the Hon. T. Mackenzie (Minister ot Agriculture). Section 9of the original Act sets out that certain hedge trimming must be "done" to the satisfaction of the inspector. The last phrase it is proposed to omit, and it is also intended to delete another phrase in the same clause, running, 'At the proper season of the year." In substitution for these omissions is a, new sub-clause: "Where the occupier ot land is required to trim or cut any hedges on that land or to clear the same of noxious weeds, he shall perform those duties at such times as may be directed by regulations in that behalf, and in default of such regulations, then at the proper season ot the ye Ragwort or ragweed (seneoio iawboea) is to be added to the schedule of noxious weeds, and taken out ot the schedule of noxious weeds which can be declared such by a local authority. KAURI GUM COMBINE SUSPECTED Kauri cum is usually sold by the diggers to local dealers at an average of £32 per ton, says Mr Stallworthy, member for Kaipara, who probably has a larger number of gumdiggers tor constituents than any other member of Parliament. Mr Stallworthy's enquiries led him to the conclusion that the average value of kauri gum exported is returned at £60 per ton. He suggested in the House of Representatives on Tuesday that this big disparity in purchase price and the export value 'indicated a combine among buyers to keep down the remuneration or diggers. Last year's exports of kauri / • gum amounted to 8000 tons, valued at £500,000,- and the yearly export, he said, kept up fairly well, though the ■ dealers would not always buy, thus forcing the dippers to take very low prices. Mr J. Bollard (Eden) suggested that the Government could effectively test the matter by sending some s;um shipments of all grades to England, to be marketed in the best possible way. Mr Mander (Marsden) stated that gum merchants lost heavily some seasons, and had to make up on other occasions. JOTTINGS. The Actine-Minister of Public Health is being asked by Mr Poole, M.P., whether, in view of the number of sailorsj firemen and others overcome by the use of bad liquor in the various ports of the Dominion, he will take steps to have a proper examination of the liquor supplied so as to prevent a good deal of sickness, and trouble to the people who are responsible for order and efficiency." Mr Field, M.P., is asking the Prime Minister whether the Government will do its best to give / employment to all efficient officers of the public service who were retrenched last year, particularly those who are married men with families, many of whom are suffering real distress, resulting from such retrenchment.