A HIGH-HANDED TOURIST

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7302, 5 December 1910, Page 6

A HIGH-HANDED TOURIST

. The Waihaha stream,' the finest trout stream running into Lake Taupe,' said Mr T. M. Wilford in the House on Saturday', has been eomipandeered by an Englishman, who claims'-.- that he has a lease of it from. the Maoris, and. claims os a right the power to’keen any angler off the whole, stream. I believe : that neither: have the Maoris tho . right to do that,, or has it been done, x mention this so’ that- we can show him that local people have as much right as he has to fish the stream.” , . The Native Minister (Hon. J. Carroll) said that there was not ,on record any legal right of any European for the exclusion of anybody from the Waihaha stream. The Maoris could not give a lease without coming before the board, and this had not been done.

GRANTS FOR ART GALLERIES A grant of .£IOOO in aid of free art galleries was passed by the House on Saturday, and in reply to Mr ,T._E. Taylor the Prime Minister said that it would bo divided equally between the four centres.- 1 Mr Taylor: remarked that on one occasion , a grant had: been made, Christchurch had narrowly missod : claiming its share, while Wellington , had got the money and spent it mos t in artistically. Mr Wilford retorted that the money had been, well spent. Sir Joseph Ward remarked that a reasonable amount of assistance given to the development of art was of great value indirectly. MINISTER’S TRAYELS-THE COST A return of travelling allowances and expenses drawn by each member of the Ministry has been furnished to Parliament. 1 The. amounts for the last two years are as follow- - 1908-9 1909-10 Sir Joseph Wai'd Gl3. 267 Hon. W. Jlall-Jones 8S ml Hon. James Carroll 228 • I<s lion. James - McGowan ... 109 nil Hno. J. A. Millar ......... 274 310 Hon. R. McNab 27G nil Hon. G. Powlds <l2O 327 Dr Pindluy , 310 . 140 Hon. R: 'McKenzie ...... . 200 ... A9j Hoix.jA. W. Hogg 81 “31 Hon. D. Buddo 1“ Jij? , Hon. A. T. Ngata ... ■ 80 3-1 Horn T. Mackenzie 8, • 242 BELLAMY'S LIQUORS CRITICISED As on previous I 'dccosions , the session wits hot u4iow©U.:to end,in the Legisia* tive' Uouncii wiUiout a complaint on tne pai*t : oi ’ some menLoers ■ quality oi' tue wines and spirits suppiiod to- legislators ’ fcy iioiiamy's. i‘ne i±ouJ Gai>riun- liaillie moved; Hint me . Govfci’iuiieiix-- be requested to take seeps to, ootnin a supply; of; good and wnoleeom© wines' and squills li'oiii Bug* land for the comtoi’t- and use: of memheres of Parliament." ■ iie complained mat of recent’ years the wine supplied had been very inferior in quality. An analysis he-had had made of a certain quantity of : , x>ort—win© showed' that it contained $4 .per cent. :: of alcohol, whereas th© proper percentage should b© ; from 20 vbo 26 per cent.’ The whole of the wines in .Bellamy's should be thrown into: the sea ; though not into the hal> bour, “as' there would surely bo : a pestilence/ in Wellingtonfrom the dead fish ■ that would be thrown up on the beaches. (Laughter.)* : The/ whisky and other liquors at; Bellamys were all inferior, while thb: wines were absolutely trash! ‘ ; The 'Attorney-General, saidthe matter was one ,which could safely be left to the House Committee. The suggestion was rather a novel one to make to the Government. Tho Hon. T. K. Macdonald, chairman 6r the House Committee, -declared-a that ‘ the wines, beers, Bellamy's ;were. as- good as the liquors supplied i at any other institution in s the; country. Everjdbing was conducted in good style. Several members suggested that it was rather humiliating' for the - Council to spend time •. discussing such a matter • and the motion ■ was ,v ultimately withdrawn. BOY IMMIGRANTS -Regarding the statements published in New: Zealand that boys; emigrating from England under the . Sedgwick scheme would; receive - Government grants amounting to .£IOO at the end of live years to enable them to buy - land, . the Government has ■ received i a cable ■ from the 'High Commissioner - as follows: “Sedgu-ick boys. Your telegram November 29th. Nothing known here of statement: as to ; Government allowance to acquire land.” . V ; . ALLEGED RESTRICTIONS ON TRADE Mr A. W. Hogg complained, in Parliament on Saturday: that a timber ring existed which imposed iniquitous restrictions upon persons who desired to, enter the itimber, business. ■■ He had received; a copy of a letter-which the searelary of a sawmillers’ association fonvaidod to a young man who t-ct up in business as a timber retailer. It stated that before he could -become a recognised, timber. merchant he must satisfy the association that he intended to trade ae a bona fide retailor., that he; must stock 100,000 feet of marketable timber excluding mouldings, all orders to be placed continuously, arid -not solely for personal consumption, and to be. placed with the - association in preference to others. Mr D. McLaren said ’that one or two working carpenters who started business in Wellington had the same ex- I nerience. It was a gross case, of Indus- i trial tyranny. The Hon. J. A. Millar replied that the matter, might be dealt witli in gome practical way, • - JOTTINGS Just before the session end'd on Saturday the members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery waited upon the Prime Minister and. through their chairman, Mr J. J. Grealish, conveyed to Sir Joseph Ward their high appreciation : of the unfailing courtesy, and" consideration with: which he had always treated them in the performance of their duties, quite regardless of tho political opinions of

their respective papers. They, also wished the; Prime . Minister every success in the important mission: ho was to undertake on behalf ;of New Zealand at the Imperial Conference in London next year. Sir Joseph Ward heartily thanked the assembled pressmen for the compliment paid to him; and said that he valued it very highly indeed. Hearty cheers for - Sir Joseph and Lady Ward were given before the gathering dispersed.

The majority of parliamentarinnshavo already loft Wellington. The northern raembex-s travelled to their homes by special train on Saturday night, and similar facilities were granted to the southern members living south •of Christchurch who desired to continue their homeward journey when the Wellington boat reached Lyttelton on Sunday morning. Ministers have not concluded their holiday arrangements, but it is. probable that Sir Joseph Ward will spend Christmas at Stewart Island.