PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13296, 1 October 1906, Page 5

PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

GALLERY NOTES AND LOBBY GOSSIP. [BT TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] W illington, Sunday. The House has been remarkably quiet since Friday night, and until the Land Bill is reported by the committee there is hot likely to be anything to occasion excitement. Even the deputations, which have been so much in evidence this session, ceased from troubling yesterday, and weary Ministers were almost entirely at rest. The Minister for Public Works was absent in the South, and. doubtless, this fact had something to. do with the temporary cessation of the week-end bombardment of the legislative halls by those relentless advocates of the requirements of particular districts. A CANTERBURY ESTATE. A Canterbury deputation has been urging on the Minister for Lands the advisability of purchasing and cutting up the Culverden Estate of 30,000 acres. It was stated that the young men were leaving the district, and going to the North Island, because they could not get land. They did not wish it to be understood that the whole of the estate consisted of first-class land, but, on the whole, it was very good country for close settlement. At present no one in particular received any benefit from the land; it was held in trust for a number of ycung jx:ople until they became of age. 'Some years ago a little cultivation was attempted, but nowadays hardly anything was being done in this direction. The deputation doubted if sufficient oats were grown on the estate to feed the horses employed ■ on it. The Minister stated that the Land Purchase; Board had visited and inspected the properly, but no recommendation bad yet been made. He would see M'r. Barron 1 when lie returned. Incidentally, Mr. Me- ' Nab mentioned that the Board had staled that the estate was suitable for subdivision into 10 properties. " Forty properties." exclaimed a member of the deputation. " it is carrying 18.000 sheep, and if it was cultivated would carry twice as many. It would cut up into 400 "or 500-acre blocks." The Minister promised to go thoroughly into the matter with Mr. Barron when lie returned. -

WOOL CLASSING.

The question of appointing an instructor in. wool classing for the country districts of Canterbury and Otago was brought under the notice of the Minister for Agriculture by a Canterbury deputation. It was stated that such, instruction was already given at the technical classes in Christchurch. but farmers could not send their sons so far to benefit by it. It was also pointed out that farmers with small holdings lost thousands of pounds a year by reason of faulty woolclassing. Mr. McNab agreed with the statements made, and said that from his own experience he knew that there was considerable loss. He would go into the matter, and endeavour to submit a workable scheme to Cabinet. ANOTHER LAND BILL. It is quite on the cards that a Land Bill (No. 2) will be brought down this session dealing with small grazing runs, providing for valuation for improvements, and other matters. The holders of these leases urge that they are afraid to spend money in regrassing their country, because at the end of their lease there is no provision by which they can get valuation for such improvements. Much of the high country in Otago ■ and Canterbury is in consequence being al- • lowed to deteriorate. The lessees also think they should have the option of realising . their runs at the end of the term.