POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15729, 2 October 1914, Page 7

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

LIFTING A RESERVATION. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. [BT TELEGRAPH—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT] Wellington, Thursday. It ik proposed by the Lands Department to withdraw from State forest reservation an area of land in the Whangarei district, about 11 miles from tho Otonga railway station, which was set apart as a State forest reserve in 1906. Tho timber on thin reserve has been removed, with the exception of about 50,000 ft of kauri, half of which is Mated to be unmarketable, and a fair quantity of scattered totara, which will bo needed by settlers for fencing purposes. It is proposed to lift tho reservation in order that the land may be sur- ' eyed and opened for settlement-

PROPOSED TIMBER RAILWAY. A petition from the Egrnont Box Compnv was lately presented to tho House, tv-king th.it legislative sanction be given C. .in agreement between it and the Ton-g-.riro Timber Company in regard to the ' >nM.: action of a railway and main branch tramway fur the purpose of removing t m'r.er iron tho Taur«wa Block, The j "fition h/i.s been considered by tho Native /.flairs Co'runittee, which has referred it to the Government for favourable consideration.

RAILWAYMEN'S PETITION. A Larpeiy-Mgned petition was recently pifftfnicd to tho House praying that legislation be passed to enable the Minister for Railways to recognise officially the duly constituted society to which they boiong as the only society having tho light to represent matters applicable to the whole of the New Zealanrl locomotive erfjinedrivers, firemen, and cleaners. The Railways Committee, in reporting on the petition to-day. recommended that it be referred to the Government for favourable " moderation. Tho recommendation was rdoptcd a fur some discussion, in which it •'.•\- strongly opposed by Mr. Yeit.h ' \\ anganui ;.

COMPENSATION* TO FISHERMAN. Mr Glover iAuckland Central) to-day f-hi-rl the Minister for Marine "Whether r« will reimburse. Mr. Lambert {or the \'->h of his fishing nets and damage to l'i- boat through seizure bv the i 'iMiomo Department at Auckland."

Hr Fisher replied : " Mr. Lambert wis >n July last reimbursed for the. loss i" his h?hi'ng nets and damage done to - boat throuch its going ashore while und<-r ;<']/.'ire.''