POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12100, 20 July 1901, Page 8

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

(I'liOll Or [I Ow.N ('OIIIiESrON'I)KNT.) WKT.LTXCTON. July 10. AbVANC'HS TO SKTTLKKN. Air .luhn M'tlowan, su|it?ritUen<loiit of tlie Advances to Settlers' Office. reports that the IL'liii.Hat-tioxi-« ot liie si\th ye;tr of tile existence of the ofiiee have not been of such a natiue as tn call for any particular comment. The instalment of interest am! principal to the 31st March, 1900. have liten collected in full, no sum roinainiii}; outstanding on t'e 31st March, 1901. The department litis no securities on its hands. The inspection of securities by district valuer# has been of advantage to the otlice in enabling attention to lie drawn to any properly wliieli might from any caiii'u have line',; in value, or is not being well looked after. Tin- board had tip to 31s.t .March, 1901, authorised 9931 advances, amounting to £3,2 M,900. The total amount asked for by the 9951 applicants granted in full and partially w.\s £3,691.005, and 1230 applicants declined the grants offered tlieni. ninmmthi;,' to £565,35:0. so that the net advances authorised to the Sist .March. 1901. nuinhfred 8701. and amounted to £2.679,520. The securities for the net authorised advances were valued at £5,859,959, and these are in many instances being -enhanced by the expenditure ill improvement of part of tin; money boranil the liability minced by the periodical repayments of principal, In the case of instalment loan?, tlie number of applications received to the 31st March. 1901. was 12,999, for an aggregate amount of £4,540,823. The manner iu whin instalments continue to be met by mortgagors is highly .satisfactory, and lias in no small define contributed "to the rer.ult obtained on 111" year's operations. The 1 per cent, sinking fund now in the luinds of the Public Tiustee amounts to £70.£59. The £17,839 cash balance at credit of management account on the 31st March, 1901, was paid to tlio Public Trustee to the credit of the assurance fund, as provided by section 53 of the act. The balance, including interest to 1 the 31st March, 1901 at credit of the account now amounts to £20.127. i From the tallies attached to the report. 1 it appears that Wellington district has secured 1 liie biggest share of the spoil, Otago and '■ Southland being a good second. Auckland 1 is third on the list, and then Taratiaki, Canterbury has received only a modest £218,000, only about a fourth of .what Wellington ha? ' obtained. The amounts applied for and (he ' amounts advanced in the different pioviu- : rial districts are at! follows:—Auckland: ' Amount applied for, £581,716: niaount of ad- ' voices authorised: £509.793. Taranaki £563,802 anil £497,105. llawke's H:u\ £221,410 and £199.270. Wellington. £989.007 mid £PG9.193. Marlborough. £109.727 and £99,755. Xelson, £51,350 and £45.330. \\ estland,' £29.845 and £25.435. C'anterbnrv, *"■52,(87 and £218,900. Otago and Southland, £590,331 and £781,114. LIRBL LAW. ' The libel'law was the subject of a ques- ! iion in the Houso this morning, when .Mr |{. Thompson (Madden) asked if the attention 1 uf the (loyornmont had hocn palled to the 1 iv'mil decision of the Appeal Court in a i libel case, where it was held that there was 1 in such thine as criminal libel, and that ) 'in action for libel would only lie at common t law. The Premier replied'that the Govern- 1 mont looked upon the matter as boinrr a | imwt -soi-ioiiH one, and realised the nmf of s immediate action iu tlie way of pa?.viug lei**.- < lation to meet what appeared to be a neeW- '' ; i'.y. It might be that a xvos* libel could bn 1 Jtilijished :is a namphlct: in fuet. U had I Hen already published even respecting mem- f iers of 1 1u* House and the proceeding of 1 he House, and lie thought it was about i iine iluii was made a criminal libel, * imi nothing more'or less r TIIK UKKRAL OIMiAXIRKK CRITI- • HSKI) IN THK HlirSK. !, I he debate unon Mr Pirnni's amendment ( >\ haw the Referendum Hill recommitted ivuli a view of considering the inclusion of , i clause providing iltat the ballot under the , nil should be taken through the post was inarked by a short, sharp five minutes, in t , ■vhirh some mo*t unkind tilings were said t tbout the Liberal methods al election time, r Wr Monk's advocacy nf electoral*'right* c mwght Mr Setldon to his feet with a deter- e liiued defence of the ballot box, ;uul from li his to electioneering tactics was an easy f; ransitiou. Mr Massev vigorously asserted c hilt- lie had it on the best possible authority t hat in the prevent Patoa election the (io- i ; ■eminent organiser, Mr V/Uvards, had been v raveUini; through the electorate, promising .-1 oads and bridges and billet? to those who a upponed the (inveriimei'.t candidate, There S ias 110 doubt about it, and he could prove ti t. The 1 Vernier (incredulously): " Oh. a ih! Mr Mas*')-; "1 can prove it, ami a. ■et the Premier (all:* about the liberty of a lie subject and the secrecy of the ballot, u f no inllueuee were brought to bear. T |i iclieve the liovernment would not be in »l ■Hice for a -inplf mouth. There is whole- « ale bribery and eorruntion." The Premier -'i tooli-poohed the idea, and put it aside ° ■ ith: \\ e have heard this for tlie past mi years. Mr "Well, 1 am pre- r ' tared to prove it so far as I'atea is er.'.i- " erued." Mr M'Cowan said it was not ( ' igieal, consitleriiiij tlie state of parties in <' be that the tiovernnieiit would use f( uy sueli influence. Mr Thus. .Maekeim'e linilemned in unmeasurrd terms the prai' ice of the liovernment iu sending a hired u I,'itator into districts to intluenee an elec- Sf' on. He referred to one particular llovernlent organiser. Mr Kilwards. Mr IMwards ad even the impertinence to to °' ''' I'on. .Tolin M'Keir/.ie that lie could ll ' ■sist him in seourins; his >eat.—(Laughter.) lr M'Ken/.ie, however, had t.:!d him tint lie did not make himself scare" in Wai- ft rum be would use some Highland methods i nia);e liim «:o. —(Loud lam;bter.) DuriiiT :, f is (Mr ). Mackenzie s) elpetion some of V l . le.-e agents went around treating the elecirs to xniß—(eiiff of "Oh!.")—in a wiiolp- - d« maimer. He eould give tliom instances f this. At Wedderburn. one of the men "1 mler Mr Edwards stood drinks wholesale 1'

to the unemployed who hail been *cni up to that. di>irirt. .Mr Lnnjr did nol wonder that the lateral party had always opposed elictoral rights. What, ho a*kcd. would 1m» tin* effect if tlie eo-opernlive labourers were granted that privdegyV Nonm' oi tic labnumv ww from iliMani parts of the colony to different electorate about Hoction time, and il was well known bow they were going to \oie; and in- thought the ballot would be far more s."<-rot if those who came fvnin distant i)art< had electoral rights, *o thai thev could vote iu the dis--1 I riot where they hail interests. Mr Ixuig added that there could he no doubt about Mr Kdward/s connei-tion with tin* (Joverument. .Mr Kdwards was formerly a sclnmb teacher at Huntly. but sent in hifi'Ui. hi so doinir, he stated that lie had been appointed I<ihcral ovjauUov bv the Premier. KATIXC OX I'XFMPnoVKD VALUK. Tl.e Kuling on Uttiniproved Yalms Act Amendment Hill provides that in future all rates shall be inadi. l on the unimproved value of land, a- defined in "Tlie (Joverninent. Aabiaiion of I,and Act AmPt l 'bi;».:nt Act, 1900." This, however, will not applv in the rales montionud in section 20 <»f the principal act (water jja*. e'.ettrii* lijjhi. sewage, 1 liospilal. and charifable aid), unles* the local iuithoritios ?o decide by suooinl order. ADYAXCKS TO SKIThKUS' LOAN. 1 The (lovennnent Advances to Settlers K\tension liill is fo give tho (lovermuont junver to raise, for the purpose of advauce.-; to settlers, an additional loan of £3.000.000. of which not mare than £1,003,000 must he borrowed in any financial year. .fOTTIXOH. "ISvyk-- Milk Seitlonient" is Mr M'duire's (|ti:tiiii soidiriqiiel for an arid district within his Icon. Of course, it is unto explain that the country was so poor that the genuine lacteal fluid was an extreme rarity. Mr littddo intends asking the Ministnr or H:ulways> whether, as importers of eornsacktare tunv giving their order*, he will indicate to tht» House wlrtl is the t»overnment proposal in repaid to the weight of ftrain and on what date the alteration will be titad'h Mr OWirara is askitu; the (Jovcrnmenl whether any direct monetary assistance or rtdiiftion in parage monr.y lo relnrnnd troopers who are desirous or visiting IJic.it Britain will bt» "rallied, a.- lie belie.ved il was understood a promise was made lo them that they would ha\e the option of visiting the old country previous to returning to their homes. Mr Wilhcford wants to know if the Oovernment. will ijive instiuciiniis thai copio« of all bills he supplied to thy public libraries of the colony for public information. Mr I'irani U to a<! v the Minister of Railways if he will alter tlie scale of fares in force on the New Zealand railways by reducing the re;urn faws and increasing the finale fare--. ..o thai settlers who are passengers n:ay have Kfnne advantage in the conee>sions n-ctntly made to totirist-s and visitors to the colonies. ! never surt a tiling unless 1 know that I'havo a fair chance of rmvc*'.*' Mr Soddon's philosophy. Mr J. A. MiMar thinks that, in so far as the country electorates ;ue concrned, wn ar«- likely lo have government hv news)upetv. The opinion of people in Mich disiricti will be by the press. In the f.r.tros of population niembrrs of Pariiameni could get about and deliver address to rumbilt the ideas, buf that would be inipossible in some of 'he larger floctu"lie :iire you have eawjht. me now." \va* Mr f J irani'< retort to tho Premier's a*.«erlion thai he had caught the nii-mber for Pahner-.-ton. " Oh, yes, .v.ud Mv vSeddou. " yu\i ale (■aiudit right enough, as you often have buen bfiforo, but you are so small that one has t » (here Mr .Speaker drew attention lo the iacl that personal reflections v/me being cast). Mr Koddou: If being snudl is a personal refection, then I am ahove roflee'ion. " It wa« rather strange that with a Mini;tn of 1/tnds in the f'idnnet the Premier should pilot the Land for .SolilemnHs Hjir'-Mr Collins "1 look npoti the ballot r.-siem of thi-> colony a> superior to any referendum," re marked tlie l > reioier: whereat Mr Monk soberly added, "When you can get the roll j tinkered," Tho PiT-mltr the other day twitied Mr Ihdlard with being the rej.-ie-/'nvative of only three people. Mr l;..)lard savs his majority in tin- last dMion was fo-ir. but he election was a straiidit-out light letwefn Iwo Mr Mard adtleU: "In tddition to representing a majority in the .doctorate, I have the hciior.r of representing four hnnourabl» m n m!^r s of this ' House." An Hon. Miembrr: "There is no itnnour nljoiil llint.'' Mr KU i« nrt very complimentary to the Premier's election ornaui-atiriw. He sfMes that, in they spring into lift* :wo immtliK before an election rnd die mtncdiately afterwards h is. Mr Kl) ?ays, :ho active workers r.nd the temperance wrtv ivh»> carry through reforms such ar, he Old Age Pensions Act. "I know a soitler's wife on the West; _'oa?t who had to a river in tlocd our times, swimming it throe times, and 1 be caine through all that to vote for me."— ! \ modest ?nerdolt? hv the Premier, wiiieh 1 ;i'-ed a choru.« of "Oh's" of admiration. 1 Mr Cameron regard* tho electoral rights I system of voting as being likely to split" im md defeat the Liberal party. * 1 SHOPS AXI) OFFICII lULI, , (Pnit U.vitkd Association-.) j CHmsTnumcH. .(uiv 19. A larse meeting of bank clerks was hold I isl night to protest against* tho clauses iu ( lip Shops and Ofhees Hill att'ectiug bank < fiicers. ft was decided to make a I option lo the Wellington Central Com- ; littoe to the effect that, while not desiring i he paf«age of the bili. if ir were passed an i fforl should ho made to get a elausp in- ; nrted ))roviding for tho payment of over- < inie io all officers, without execution ASIIBUKTOX; duly 19. , A meeting of bank employee? to-day re- . fdved, after some dis'cussion, to forward to ( lie proper quarter an expression of dis- ; oproval of the proposed bill dealinij with f lerks and offices, ManaL'er.s werfi not pre- ! !M1 - , __ i