POLITICAL NOTES.

Mataura Ensign, 4 July 1914, Page 4

POLITICAL NOTES.

SETTLEMENT LANDS. , AN INTERESTING RIITURN. It* TKLKUIUI'II. »UOM OUR SI'KCIAL COIiIIKSI'ONIIKNT. WELLINGTON, July 3. A rot urn relating |,| set (lenient lands ordered 011 October 2-1, 1912, <ni (he motion of .Mr Aiideraun'(Malauiai «' :,s ' 'ad on the tiil>!,. o| (h,» House to-day. The information asked for was to .'•how separately the present financial position of each eslat<> bought or otherwise acquired by the (iovernuient under tlu» LaiuLs for Kelt lenient Act much ilie passing of the Act ill and giving particulars as follows:—Area of estate, date acquired, tlie airt^VinLj»amJ for land, the cost, of reading, law costs, the name of the solic'tors," piiticulai-s of anv other expenditure, the rent received and oilier receipts, the interest charged aga'ust the State's expenses of management. and the balance to creditor debit under these headings. The return showed the" area as 1,362.583 acres, the cost of land £5,926,237, roading £202,996, law costs £17,977, preliminary expenses £147,189, interest £1,962.420, management £27,766, total '£88,88.5,587. Rents received £2,380,096, . other receipts £10,039, balance £5,893,410 (.shillings and pence omitted). EXPERIMENTAL FARM. July 4, Mr Anderson (Mataura) gave notice yesterday to ask if the Government intended to establish an experimental farm in Southland. .COST OF RECENT LOANS. Mr Myers (Auckland Ka.«t) askei? Hon. J. Allen (Al master for Finance) when lie projxiscd to give particulars of the cost of recent loans, "the reply being that the information would lie given in the Financial Statement. Tho cost has bcey Ichs thun formerly and for some money no underwrilinjf fees had been paid. An argument resulted between. Sir Joseph Ward (Leader of the Opposition) and Hon. J. Allen on this nub•ei*i, tho former asserting that tho Minister was equivocating, hut tho Speaker ordered the withdrawal of this tatement. NO-CONFIDENCE DEBATE. The debate on the no-confidence motion will motvt. probably extend throughout the incoming week, the division being taken towards the end. PURCHASE OF ESTATES. A return which has been submitted' shows , thai.,, the Coili■jal Hills Estate .eo.'t 1'12,/)6(I for 10,541 ucrcn, Mr J. F. M. Eraser (solicitor)'receiving £lO7 in law cix-its.. At Edendale £113.646 - -was paid 19.809 acres and Mr T. Macl)onaluA| received £1378 in costs,' The. return only gives particulars .to March 31, 1932, consequently later purchases are :iot included.