POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14416, 5 July 1907, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES.

[Fmm Otto CojutißroHMNT.] WELLINGTON, July 4. NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK LINE. A number of members propose to make a trip over the North Island Main Trunk lino this month, leaving Wellington on July 19. ADULTERATED FOOD AND DRINK. Tho annual reports of the Colonial Analysts, which were presented to tho House by the Minister of Public Health to-day, indicate that close attention was paid to tho wliisky sold in the colony, with the result that in Auckland* at any rate, some bad specimens were discovered. Tho Colonial Analyst at Auckland, Mr J. S. Pond, (reported upon forty-nine _ samples, including spirits, tree-spraying solutions, hop ber-r, jams and water. Ho had analysed no milk samples during the year. Of nineteen hop beer samples) examined, eleven resulted in convictions on account of the high percentage of alcohol. " Some of tho spirits examined," continues tho report, " were raw, harsh, unmatured alcohol, which is certainly injurious if taken in moderate quantity, but which cannot bo excluded from the colony under our present laws. Tho nee of antiseptics in food seriously requires defining, more especially boric and salicylic acids." The Dunedin analyst paid special attention to whisky samples, in order to determine whether certain well known brands were being counterfeited. Two of the whiskies proved to bo other than the brands represented, and two others varied considerably from the genuine articlo, but being of equally good quality, no action was taken in tho matter. " I have no doubt," cornoTudes the analyst, " that tho quality of the alcoholic liquors sold in Dunedin is being better attended to by those interested in the trade, owing to the surveillance of the Police Department." SCHOOL FOR DEAF MUTES.

The annual report on the Sumner School for Deaf Mutes shows that at the end of the year there were seventy pupils in attendance, thirty-seven boys Mid thirty-three girls. It will soon become necessary to provide more residential accommodation, either by extending the buildings or by establishing a branch institution in another part or the colony. The total expenditure on the institution was £4OOB, against which parents' contributions amounted to £415. Tho director reports a satisfactory year's work. ADVANCES TO LOCAL BODIES. The total sum advanced by the Government to local bodies during the year ended March 81 last was £180,386. The liabilities of the Department are estimated at £2,925,234, and the assets at £2,957,720. EDUCATING THE MAORI.

At the end of 1908 there wore one hundred Native schools, with a roll number of 4174, as against 3863 in 1905. Forty boys and forty girls hold Government scholarships, and three of the six University scholarships offered have been taken up, two in law and one in medicine.' Six Maori girls are being trained as nurses, and instruction in woodwork, dressmaking and cooking is given in various schools. The cost of maintaining the rsativo schools was £29,755. Some 380 European children attend the Native schools. RUA, THE PROPHET. In his annual report the inspector of Native schools makes some remarks concerning the influence of tho prophet Rua in the Tuhoe, Urewera and eastern Bay of Plenty districts. Superstition, he states, binds the Ureworas more closely than it does any other tribe. A number of children have been withdrawn from the Native sohools to await the prophesied coming of the King, or to escane the great disaster threatened by the"new prophet. The trouble is /likely to become greater in the future, because the idea of the prophet is to draw the children away from the Government schools and enlist them under his banner. It is, therefore, impossible to proceed witli the establishment of new schools in the Urewera Country, and the Department must own it is the turn of the tide. The Kokako School has been, regarded by tho 'Natives as a source, of "makutu," owing teveome children dying, and although the tapu has been removed by the elders of the tribe, the attendance has fallen oft seriously. PURE FOOD.

The Pure Foods Bill was introduced by Governor's message this evening and read a first time. Tho Bill is tho same in principle as tho one introduced) during the 1906 session, but has been redrafted and simplified. It provides for the appointment of analysts, with powers toi examine foods or drugs* offered for sale, and to take samples for analysis. Penalties are provided for adulteration or false description. IMPORTATION OF DOMESTICS. Tho Hon C. H. Mills has given notice to ask the Minister of Inmnigration whether, owing to tho serious difficulty nearly every mistress has to contend with in scouring the services of a. domestic servant in. this colony, _ and the consequent "home slavery" it imposed on women with families, ho will take immediate steps to ascertain from tho High Commissioner in London if he ca.n send out some respectable seorvantgirls, and thus relieve the miserable and unpleasant tension which no-vr exists throughout the country in so many homes. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Witty will ask the Minister of Lands whether he will take steps to acquire the Broomfield Estate, near Riccarton, for closer settlement. Mr Witty will also ask tho Government whether it will take steps to prevent the use of cylinders for the purpose of duck shooting at a greater distance than three chains from the land at Lake EHesmere. Mr Gray will ask the Minister of Jus-' tice whether he will place a sufficient sum upon the .supplementary estimates to provide for the urgently-required additional accommodation for the Stipendiary Magistrates and Police Courts in Ghristoliurch. Mr Ell will ask the Premier whether he will introduce legislation providing for an amendment of the Counties' Act in the direction of empowering County Councils to acquire land and erect workers' dwellings thereon. Mr Buddo will ask the Minister of Railways whether he will give effect to the repeated representations of workers and others that a regulation should bo issued providing that grain carried on the New Zealand railways should not .exceed 2001 b weight per sack. Mr Laivroiisoii is asking the Minister for Railways whether any further steps have been taken toward* improving tho present railway communication between Lyttelton in Ohristcliureh in the direction of electrification.

Mr Gray will move—'"' That there bo laid l>eforo this> House ta return showing all papers in connection with the proposed electrification of the Lyttelton tunnel."

Mr Gray will move—" That there ho laid before this House a return showing—.(l) The rates charged on different classes of goods .as ' terminal charges ' at Lyttelton and Christchurch; (2) tho gross receipts of the Department (including both haulage and terminal charges for goods carried oji the Lyt-telton-GhiLstchurch railway last year, giving separate totals inwards and outwards."

Mr Davey will raxk the Government when. Mr H. W. Bishop's report on the ]3auksido inquiry will be laid on the table of the. Housa.