WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 7922, 14 April 1887, Page 5

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

[by telegraph.—own correspondent.] Wellington, Wednesday. • J DEFENCE WORKS AND THE UNEMPLOYED. ra I had a conversation with the Defence y Minister upon this subject, which may be 1.. interesting to your readers. The Hon. Mr. d Ballance said :—"I may state that we have ie got rid of tho questions relating to the unB " employed, so far as these public works are B " concerned. In future these works will be Ip • carried on by the permanent force under the re control of the department. Ido not say it that this settles the whole of the questions i. relating to tho unemployed. There are 1- other unemployed, and more of them than if any well-wishers of the working classes desire 9, to see. These questions are still unsettled >. in Chriatchurch, where the unemployed ■a movement appears to have been moro comf. plotely organised. So far as lam concerned g I shall be glad to put married men on land, h if they will go. I thiuk young single,and d able-bodied men may be left to shift for r. themselves. Such persons caunot be in n want if they are fairly industrious, NATIVE LANDS COURT. The Chief Judge (Mr. J. 8. Macdonald) informs me that ho is rapidly disposing of all applications under the Native Lands Administration Act of last session. When he has disposed of tho business to be brought before him at Wellington he will go North f by the East Coast, holding sittings in Napier, . Gisbome, and other places. He considers 8 that the applications at present before him will occupy him only a few days. | THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. The Hon; Mr. Richardson went South ' yesterday afternoon by the Waihora. He informed me that his principal object was to address his constituents at Kaiapoi. He told me also that he would have a good deal r to say about railway matters. As to the a Representation Bill he considered that his B " colleagues had said all that could bo said r about it. ; LOCAL INDUSTRIES, : It is the intention of the Government, as soon as convenient after the commencement . of the session, to move for a select committee I to investigate the state of local industries throughout ths colony, and report as to the [ best means by which such industries may bo i fostered and encouraged. The committee, if appointed, will have very large powers for the purpose of enabling them to take evii dence. There is no doubt that the repre- ' sentativea of local industries of all kinds in every part of the colony will claim to be heard before this committee. It is the main ■ object of the Government in moving for this committee to collect all the information obtainable on the subject as a guide to legislation, if requisite, on this important subject. SPECIAL VILLAGE SETTLEMENT. The Minister of Lands informs me that he has had considerable correspondence in connection with settlements in the North. No information has reached him calculated to diminish the prospects of success hitherto existing. He has not received tho official report of tho steward whose duty it is to give the fullest information to the Department. The Minister has no reason to think it will be otherwise than satisfactory. THE EASTER ENCAMPMENT. The Hon. Defence Minister, in reply to a question, this morning, on this subject, said the reports which had been disseminated against the Volunteers, had been greatly exaggerated. That a few disorderly men should be round to exist in a force of upwards of 2000, at New Plymouth, was not a reason for charging the whole foroa with disgraceful rowdyism, An enquiry will be hold, and the disorderly ones will be punished. NATIVE LAND. The Native Minister proposes to introduce 1 a Bill into Parliament to regulate the sale of Maori lands to the Government under the pre-emptive right of the Crown. LAND ACQUISITION BILL. The clauses of this bill, which relate to the election of a Judioial Court to carry out the purposes of the Act, have been much criticised. I now understand that it is not the intention of the Minister of Lands to create a separate jurisdiction, with a retinue of officials. He proponed to give the jurisdiction to existing judicial officers, such as district judges and R.M.'s. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. It is said that Mr. Mills, the newly-elected member for Port Chalmers, as successor to the late Mr. Mr.candrew, Mr. Jones, the new member for Heathcote (successor to the late Mr. Coster) will move the Address-in-Reply to the Governor's speech at the opening of Parliament. Some say Mr. Mills and Mr. Travers, if the latter is elected for Te Aro.