POLITICAL NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXV, Issue 5008, 4 July 1903, Page 7

POLITICAL NEWS.

THE RATING POWERS OP LOCAL BODIES. Tho Comities Act Amendment Bill, introduced by tho Premier yesterday, is a short measure which gives increased rating power to the counties. It provides that the maximum general rate which may he levied in any year shall be—in outlying districts, "3d in the pound on the capital value, or its equivalent on the unimproved value; iu all other parts of tho county, lid iu tho pound. There is also a clause in the Bill enabling a County Council to establish fire brigades, and make gratuities to such brigades out of the county fund. Iu another Bill under the charge of the Premier the rating-power of roads and town districts is likewise increased, the maximum general rate being fixed at Ifd in the pound on the capital value, or its equivalent on the unimproved value; and it is stipulated that separate rates in road districts which are subdivided -shall, with the general rates, not exceed Ijd in the pound. SHOPS AND OFFICES. The Shops and Offices Bill, which tho Government has reintroduced this session, represents an important departure from last year’s Bill, inasmuch as it X>rovidos that tho weekly half-holiday shall be on Saturday. Clause 7of the Bill reads:—“Except as hereinafter specially provided, every shop shall be closed not later than one o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday in every week, and shall remain closed for tho remainder of the day.” This clause shall not apply to the business of a fishmonger, a fruiterer, a confectioner, or a bookstall-keeper on a railway station, except where such a business is carried on in conjunction with any other business. A butcher, hairdresser or-photo-grapher may, if ho wishes, observe the half-holiday on any other day of tho week than Saturday, whilst a shop may bo kept open on the half-holiday to supply goods to a ship arriving on that day, or to supply agricultural machinery during tho time of harvest, or to supply medicines in an urgent case. The Bill provides'for the weekly half-holt-day for assistants iu hotels, eatinghouses, or restaurants; and algo contains last year's clause prohibiting the employment of barmaids, alter 9 o’clock in tho evening. Last year’s clauses relating to offices are repeated. Power is given to enforce an early-closing law in any borough when a requisition to that effect is signed by three-fifths of tho shopkeepers. SUBSIDIES FOR LOCAL BODIES. There ought to be, Air Massey suggests, a graduated system of subsidies for the rates levied by local bodies. At present tho subsidy is always tho saute, whatever tho rate, and if ratepayers are willing to help themselves by imposing upon themselves a larger rate for any work, in their district, they ought, he says, to bo assisted! by a larger subsidy. In this viewy ho is supported by Mr T. Mackenzie. Tho Bremicr says that the suggestion will be considered.

OCEAN AIAIL SERVICES. Papers relating to the ocean, mail services were laid on the table of tho House of Representatives bv Sir Joseph Ward yesterday. Regarding tho San Francisco service, 1 it is shown that tho Victorian Post Office in December paid over £1641 for tho carnage of Victorian mail matter on the San Francisco steamers iu 1901-2 and Messrs Sprockets and Co. now collect these payments for themselves. It is mentioned that if tho fast trains could always bo induced to take mails, the Sau Francisoo-New York journey need not occupy more than three days twenty hours. There are so many connections to be mado that delays seom almost inevitable. Occasionally the Now Zealand Department has to congratulate the Spreokels Company and the San Francisco Postal Department on some “ particularly smart piece of work.” The only references to tho Vancouver service in the despatches deal with United States matter to be .transferred from Vancouver steamers at Honolulu. Some correspondence between tho Christchurch Chamber of Commerce and the Postal Department is printed, tho chamber urging tie ai-, rangement of a_regu!ar weekly service between Wellington ana Sydney to connect with Suez steamers. The department lias inquired what subsidy tire Union Company would require to guarantee connection.

THE FREEHOLD TENURE. ' Both the Premier and Minister for Public Works,gave, a. clear indication yesterday of the attitude which will bo adopted by the Government iu the coming fight over the freehold. The Premier, speaking on the subject when the appointment of the Sessional Waste Lauds Committee was before the House, declared emphatically that in regard to the freehold, his back was “against the door.” The present land policy, said Air Soddon, must continue iu the interests of all classes iu the colony. “Do you wish to do away with the leasing of Crown lands?” he demanded of the Opposition. “No,” was the reply. “Are yoiu satisfied with the existing law?” “No.” “Then, iu what direction do you want an alteration ?” continued Mr Seddon; but in reply to this the Opposition loaders merely laughed, and asked Mr Soddon to bring down hia Bill. In his speech in the Address-in-Roply, Mr HallJonea opposed the freehold, and explicitly stated that the Government did not propose to alter the tenure. JOTTINGS. Mr O’Meara is suggesting to the Government that the subsidy to country libraries should 100 increased. The Minister lor Education is to bo asked by Mr Major whether ho Will ostablisli classes in agricultural chemistry and science at the District High Sch'ooi, Hawera, “No fewer than 1260 men were employed on the North Island main trunk lino in the early part of June,” said the Minister for Public Works last night, to which Mr Remington added that within tho past six mouths ho had seen men going up to tho works, in dozens per week. Mr Field is to ask the PostmasterGeneral when it is intended to proceed with the erection of the new post and telegraph office at Otaki, and whether he will establish a savings bank and money-order office in connection with tho post office at Te Horo. Mr Duthie has given notice tliat ho will move. “That there he laid before this House a return sotting out all places where the advertisement inviting tenders for tho last South African steam service was published, tho conditions and terras under which such tenders were invited, copies of all tenders received and of correspondence with the various tenderers, and a copy of tho contract entered into.” Mr Hogg intends to ask tho Government whether it is proposed to introduce an Undesirable Immigrants Bill with the object of preventing Now Zear

land from being flooded witb bad characters from Australia. Tho Alinister of Marine is being urged by Air Barber to have a preiim.na.ry survey mado of Island Bay in order to ascertain whether it is practicable to construct a harbour in that locality. Tho Premier emphatically denied yesterday that tho Government had ever given an indication of any intention to do away with the freehold now existing, and substitute for it the leasehold. Mr Buchanan wants the Government to arrange facilities by which local bodies may be enabled to borrow for tho purchase of stone-breaking and other road-making machinery. A paper was laid on the table of tho House yesterday afternoon notifying tho intention of the Colonial Secretary’s Office to grant a pension to Sir James. Hector- of £333 6s Bd. Tho Chinese residents of New Zealand have petitioned tho House to appoint some official to safeguard and superintend their interests, tho Chinese Gov. eminent having failed to appoint a consul. A petition for the remission of duty upon tho material to bo imported for the construction of the Wellington electric tramways was presented to the House yesterday from the Wellington Corporation. Mr Ell’s Bill to abolish the totalizator is a measure of only one operative clause, which repeals sections 47 and 48 of tho Gaming. and Lotteries Act, 1881, sections 3 to G of the Stamp Acts Amendment Act, 1891, and section 6 of tho Gaming Act, 1894. A special committee is to he appoint cd to consider tho working of tho Old Age Pensions Act. “Mr A. O. Fife is one of the best accountants, and ono of tho most experienced men that this colony, or any othercolony, possesses, in dealing with railway accounts,” said the Alinister for Railways yesterday.