POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CIII, Issue 12241, 29 June 1900, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

.[Feom Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, June 27. • ADDRESS-IN-REPLY; ■'.■-.,_""■ Tho collapse of tie : debate on-the Ad-dress-in-Reply was,,- due .to the deter- j mination of the Opposition not to speak. One old 'hand puts it this way: " As the Government never' says - anything in the Speech, the Opposition invariably I repeats its electioneering ■ or precessiona! speeches during the debate on tho Address - in-Reply.; .On the present occasion, being nearly all old-stagers, -who ihave not much fighting to get in, we had no electioneering speeches .to repeat. Therefore,- we determined to say, nothing. This explains how Captain Russell was the only Oppositionist who spoke.' As leader, he had to do so. The rest were under no compulsion. Mr Wiliord tried hard to draw them, but failed." ' , ■._ ' /• - WELLINGTON,' June 28, i -7 '• ADVANCES Tb.'SETTLEBS.- ; The .animal repbrt-'of the Superintendent of advances to settlers office discloses continued success in the operations of this important State Department. The instalments of interest and'principal to March SI, 1899, have been collected in full, no sum remaining outstanding on Maxch 3L 1900. The iu- < spection of securities" by" district valuers has been of advantage to the office in, enabling attention to be drawn to any property which might from amy cause have gone back in value. The Board had, up to March 31, 1900, authorised 8452 advances, amounting to £2,633,440. The total amount asked f or by the 8452 applicants granted: in roll and partially was £3,012,87i ;' IQO4. applicants declined the grants oli'ered them, amounting to £454,000, so that the net advances authorised to March 31, IbOO, numbered 7448, and amounted to £2,179,440. Tiii securities ior the not authorised advances Were valued at £4,359,y80, and.- these are in many in-, stances being enhanced »y the expenditure .in improvements of part oli the money, borrowed, . and the liaodity reduced by the periodical repayments oi principal, .in the case of instalment loans the number of applications received to March SI, 1900, was J lo>yas, for an aggregate amount of ' £3,711,033. As was anticipated, - the indebtedness to the' consolidated fund was 1 cleared off during'the year, and on March 31,1900, the office had sufficient funds available to meet its liability in respect of interest unaided. The manner' in which instalments continue to be met by mortgagors is highly satisfactory, and has in no uanall manner contributed to the result obtained> on the year's operation. The 1 per cent sinking fund new in the hands of the Public Trustee amounts to .£49,678.155.3d;. £2199' 19s 10d, ': the cash.balance at credit oi management account on' March 31,, 190.0,. was.paid,.to .the Public the.credit of an.assurance iund as provided by; Section 53 of . the Act. POLICE PROVIDENT FUND. ~ The first report of the Police Provident Fund, which only came. into operation last December, states tibat between tnat date and ; March 31, two. officers, Inspector Broham and Constable John Mayes, were retired, I both being medically unat for further ser- j vice. 'The lormer, whe was fiity-mne 'years ' of age,- and had completed -thaty-six years service, was. granted a life allowance of £240 per annum, and the latter, who was forty-nine years with twenty years service, was granted'a life allowance oi £54 15a. On ] Marcn I ol there was a balance of £32t>6 j 17s 5d to • the credit of the fund, j This very considerable balance in so short a time is mainly owing to the members of the force who are entitled to retire voluntarily under Section 13 not having so> far availed themselves of their right to do to' any extent. The establishment of the fund (says the report) has given special satisfaction to the force. , This is proved by the number who have availed themselves oi" its provisions. Some. of the men feel that the contributions are too heavy, but in this experimental Stage it would be unsafe to recommend a reduction. : MISCELLANEOUS. ■Mr Guinness has given notice of a bill providing that all children attending- State schools shall be drilled fox at least an hour on .two days a week. An Auckland petition has arrived advocating the establishment of a central rural home for imbecile children, and mentioning tne success of similar institutions in other countries in. a curative direction. During the year the Government received a revenue of £I4BO under the Cyanide Process Act; disbursements were nil. The purchase of the New Zealand rights was evidently a good piece of business for the State. The New. Zealand consols still continue: to attract investors in a moderate degree, the amount issued last year being £00,062. The accounts of the Valuation Department show that the office is gradually getting- on to a basis'of balance between receipts and expenditure, this latter of which has hitherto predominated owing to heavy initial expenses. 'The report of. the. Patent Office riioAvs that .during tho ytar 992 patents were applied for,' a'decrea'se of 29. The Registrar, however, does not anticipate a»y further fall. There lias been a considerable increase in-

inventions connected with electricity, dredging, and other appliances for the recovery of gold, fire escapes and extinguishers, and crates for* frozen rabbits, thus; showing the present trend of invention. The Registrar holds the case- for " official examination" of inventions as not proven. The report of the Registrar of Friendly Societies that during the year fourteen new registrations -were effected. These comprised five Oddfellows' Lodges, four Forresters', '■ two Druids', one Rechabite, one isolated Family Society, and one Working Men's Club. , During the same period one Druid Lodge and one Redbabite ceased to exist. The Registrar states that the incoifle of tile Societies has been lar~ely affected by the fall in the rate of interest. As, however, the average rate of interest on mortgages is nearly 6 per cent, it has not been necessary to reduce the valuation rate. One of to-day's returns discloses the amounts paid as legal expenses by tlhe Government during the two financial years ending March 31, '1899, in the four large centres. Auckland was responsible for £3251, Wellington £.7291, Christchurcn £1523 and 1 Dunedm £1461. Among individuals the Crown Prosecutors received the lion's share of these moneys, Mr Gully, of Wellington, receiving £2706, Mr Tole, of Auckland, £2656, Mr Stringer, of Christchurch, £1428, and Mr Fraser, of Dunedin, £837. ' In the House last night Mr Flatman asked a question about grain bags. Mr Ward replied that the Government has been in com.' munioation on the subject with all the authorities, representative and otherwise, rural, urban, railway, port, and ship, and that the consensus of opinion seems to favour, a. sack of 2001 b. The Government on its side favours the lighter sack of 1001 b as .easier to handle, to ship, and to carry, entailing no tear by hooks, no detention at railways for better storage," and no hardship on the handlers.