POLITICAL NOTES AND NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12408, 22 October 1903, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES AND NEWS.

[BT telegraph.—special correspondent.] Wellington, Wednesday. SECONDARY SCHOOLS BILL. The Secondary Schools Bill was reported to the House to-day by the Education Committee with slight amendments, mainly bearing on the method of electing the boards of governors of high schools, which the committee thinks should consist of nina mrrabers, three to be elected by the Minister for Education, three by the board, and three by the parents of the pupils. ORAKEI CATTLE LANDING. Mr. Kidd to-day asked the Minister for Public Works when the road in connection

with the wharf and cattle landing at Oiakei,

will be commtaced. The Minister replied: j Subject to—(1) The amount being approved by Parliament ; (2) a good title being obtained for the land required for the proposed road; and (3), the Auckland Harbour Board proceeding with the erection of the wharf. It is hoped a commencement may be made j with the work shortly. The first must j await the appropriation by Parliament. No proper title for the land required for the J road has yet been obtained. The native owners agreed to give the land on certain i conditions, part of which is that, they should j receive a concession on wharfage dues on ! their produce. This coacession can be j granted only by the Auckland Harbour \ Board, who have not yet-, so far as is known J by the Department, consented to the concession. A survey of the land for the road is now being made preparatory to action being taken to endeavour to get the matter settled. Mr. Kidd said the answer was unsatisfactory. He expected a reply that the work would be commenced at once. Instead of that, he was told that no proper title exists, when he knew perfectly well that all obstacles with the native owners had been got over. Mr. Aiassey quoted a letter to show that Mr. Vickennan had said there was no difficulty about the title to the land, and asked the Minister whether he really wanted the Harbour Board to proceed with the wharf before he commenced the road. The Minister said the letting of a contract by the Harbour Board would satisfy him ii the m»ney were voted, and the difficulty,about the title got over. NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY. Mr. Harding asked the Minister for Public Works to-day if he is aware that men are still being discharged from the North of Auckland railway, and if so whether he intends to reinstate them while the weather is good. The Minister replied that with the completion of the railway to Ahuroa some of the hands have been dispensed with. The question of increasing the number now employed will depend upon the amount appropriated by Parliament.

EDUCATION AT KAWHJA. Answering Mr. Heke's question as to whether the Kawhia native school is being* taken over by the Auckland Education Board, the Premier said the Auckland Education Board recently applied for a grant of £1100 for school buildings at Kawhia. The application for so large a sum of money led to the conclusion that it is inadvisable to have two schools so close together. Maoris I have the same right to attend a public school as Europeans, and it is considered that the policy of the Department should bo directed towards the gradual amalgamation of the two races ir the matter of' education.. Accordingly it has been decided to hand the native school over to the Board at the end of the year, to be carried on by the Board as a public school, at which the children of both races shall attend. The Maoris have not made as much use of their special school as they might have done. There are 40 names on the roll of the school, but the attendance has only been about half that number. They will not, however, be prejudiced in respect to scholarships at St. Stephen's College." THE ROADLESS NORTH'. Replying to a question by Mr. Harding bearing on the deplorable state of the roads in the North, the Minister for Public Works said the difficulty was common to nearly ail netv'ly-sefctledi districts during the winter months, and does not apply only to the district north of Auckland. During the past j few years the Government has spent large J sums of money by way of grants and other- j wise, on these roads with the object of per- i manently improving them. It is hoped that during the current year further progress will be made in this directioa, AUCKLAND LAND BOARD. The Premier, in reply to Mr. Witheford's question regarding the appointment of a j commisvsion to inquire into charges made' against the Auckland Land Board, said it is j not the intention of the Government to ap- j point a commission. The duties of the j Board are very difficult, and such a Commis- \ sion as has been suggested, should only be granted in a case where specific charges are j laid. To appoint a commission to deal with 1 generalities would be inconsistent with safo j administration. AN AUCKLAND INQUEST. I The Miniate* for Justice, replying to Mr. Fowlds' question regarding the refusal of the coroner at Auckland to take down certain evidence at an inquest, said he would obtain a report on the matter from the coroner, but it must not be assumed that it was any part of his duty to review or control the con- I duct of the proceedings in the coroner's j court, or in any other court whose functions i are defined by law. STATE FIRE INSURANCE. The conference between the representatives of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council, on the State Fire Insurance Bill, met to-day and failed to agree. Another conference will be held. ARRIVAL OF AUSTRIANS. Mr. Harding asked the Premier to-day whether he is aware thai - - nearly £00 Austrians have now either just landed, or are about to land, in New Zealand, and what steps he intends to take in the matter. The Premier, in reply, stated that 175 Austrians have arrived during the six months ending Septem- j ber 30, 1903. Only one of these failed to i pass the education test. Twenty-six more arrived to-day by the Talline, and were all • able to pass the test. The only restrictions j on Austrians are those imposed by the Immigration Restriction Act, 1899. The only steps the Government intend to take is to adminstei the law as it stands, fairly and > impartially, and to treat all-aliens alike, and if they pass the necsssaiy tests provided by the Immigration Restriction Act to admit them to the colony, ORCHARD AND GARDEN PESTS BILL. The Orohard and Garden Pests Bill was under consideration in the House to-night. On a motion to go into committee on the Bill, Mr. McLachlau moved that tire Bill bo committed this day six months. Messrs. Bollard, Massey. Kirkbride, Mander, Alison, and Lang supported Mr. McLachlau, urging that the Bill, though it had been much modified, was still too drastic, and did not meet with the wishes of the majority of the fruit growers. The motion to go into committee was carried by 59 votes to 13. Progress was then reported. JOTTINGS. The Petitions Committee reported to-day on the petitions from the southern part of Kawhia, praying that if Kawhia is created a county it should be subdivided. The committee referred the matter to the Government for consideration. In answer to Mr. Witheford the Premier stated to-day that the appointment of Captain George Warren Shaw Patterson, No. 3 Company, New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers, to command of the Auckland Divisional Staff, New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers, will appear in the next Gazette. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply to Mr. Harding, said a report will bo obtained on the proposal *V purchase Pnkearinga Mountain, near Maungaturoto, and the matter will be considered when the Supplementary Estimates are being; framed. The Premier, in reply to a question by Mr. Heke, says no portion of the Rotohokahoka Block, R.otorua, has been taken for a rifle range. A survey was ordered and held over. A rifle range is required, and ultimately it is hoped a solution satisfactory alike to the natives and the Government, I may be arrived at.