PARLIAMENTARY NEW?.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13958, 18 July 1907, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY NEW?.

NOTES FROM THE PRESS GALLBRI., (From Oto Ow? Cormspohdjht.)* m yi . . , WI ™ ? & T ON, July 17. Air Malcolm has been taking up tho cases ot those settlors whoso grass was destroyed by fire during the drought in the Catline district. It appears that the Minister of Lands did not receive the claims, because the Land Board in Duncdin did not forward them to the department in Wellington. Iho Minister now suggests that individual settlers who suffered should petition tho House for assistance, and he has assured Air Malcolm that if they do so the Goyornment will not treat such petitions in a hostile manner.

IRRIGATION AT CROMWELL. A syndicate has recently been endeavouring to get the right to bring in a number of heads of water from tho Roaring Meg stream for irrigation purposes at Cromwell, The matter is now being considered by the Cabinet, but. as a question of policy is involved, a decision will not be come to for some- time.

RIVERSDALE-SWITZER3 RAILWAY.

Settlers interested have been complaining of the slow progress of the RiversdaleSwitzon lulo. It appears that there are only 20 men now at work on it. Mr W; I'iasor, who has been interesting himself in "the matter, states that in-about a week 20 more men will be put on to push tho work ahead at a quicker rate.

THE OTAGO CENTRAL EXTENSION. Mr W, Frnscr recently arranged with the Engineer-in-Chief that Mr Dobson, at present engaged in work connected with the irrigation J water race from ;thc Dunstan Range, should be sent to make a flying eurvoy of tho Otago Central alternative railway route by way of the right bank of the river to Hawea. Mr Dobson was. driven in by snow from tho irrigation race survey, and as soon as ho has finished plotting the work already accomplished he will proceed with the railway survey. , MOTOR SERVICE TO TE ANAU. Mr J. 0. Thomson informs me that the Government is considering the advisability of running a motor service from Lumsden to To Auau. Mr Thomson urges that there should be a connection with Manapouri, which would involve the bridging of tho Whitestono River. A SHILLING LUNCH. In answer to n question by Mr Barclay to-day. Sir Joseph Ward made it clear that a shilling lunch could not be provided on the Government railway trains. Mr Barclay moved the adjournment of the Houec to protest against this reply. Ho drew a sad picture of a poor man with a family going into the dining car and having to pay 2a a head for lunch. It was all very well, he said, amid laughter, tor wealthy people and the nobility to pay 2s for their lunch, but the poor man could not afford to do so. " And now," added Mr Barclay, amid another burst of laughter, "that the assets of this country are soing to bo parted with in a wholesale manner it is all the more necessary that some consideration should bo given to people of this class." STRONG LANGUAGE BY AN M.L.C.

Tho Hon. Mr Scotland, who is always very downright in his Legislative Council deliverances, in a speech on the dominion question said the Prime Minister nad most decidedly failed to revolutionise the Colonial Office and talk over the Mother Country to preference. No doubt, therefore, Sir Joseph suiil lo himself, "I must take back something to New Zealand. Well.' now, I have got a nice little toy that will amuse them and take their fancy. I'll sweep away the old name of colony, and New Zealand shall glide forth as a dominion and become equal in station to Australia and Canada." A mere bauble, said Mr Scotland; yet he was not astonished that tho people caught ,at it so greedily, for we had for years past been a community of blowers, "reclaiming to the world that this was "God's own country." When he looked at the crime prevalent he was led to call it instead "The devil's own country." A man who would call New Zealand Go'd'e own country must bo either an unmitigated fool or. an unmitigated humbug, and one who would advocate- calling it a dominion could havo no sense of the ludicrous. As to our expected big population 100 years hence, he did not believe it. There was no room for it. The cream of our land was already gobbled up by land sharks, leaving only .the skim milk and'the inaccessible mountains for others.

FACILITIES ON THE LAWRENCE . . LINE. Mr James Allen has been endeavouring to get a loading bank at the Manuka Railway Station, but the Premier states that tho facilities already provided for dealing with Oio business handled at Manuka aro ajuplo for all purposes. The investigations that have been made into tiie matter show that no goods are received from or forwarded to Manuka for which a loading bank would bo used if available.

Tbo Uoverimioiit, in answer to a question by the same member, said the matter of providing bettor facilities for loading stock at the Waitahuua Railway Station would be considered. CAVBRSHAM TUNXEL. Mr D. Itcid asked (lie Government if it would, when the new railway tunnel at Caversham was completed, consider tlio advisability of- using the old tunnel for vehicular and passenger traffic purposes between Duuedin and tho country districts.

Sir Joseph Ward stated that the representations made in regard to this matter would be borne- in mind and consideration would be given thereto on the completion of tho duplication of the railway lines between Dunedin and Mosgicl. STATE COAL DEPOT. Tn connection with the question of establishing a State coal depot for Dunedin, Mr M'Gowan says that the question of establishing State coal depots is receiving attention, but at the "same time an extension of this branch .of Hie business is not advisable, as tho demands of the Railway Department and existing depots aro in excess of the mints' output. Further mine development is going on, and it,is hoped that alargo increase in tho production of coal will take place in the near future. GROINS AT ST. OLAIR. Tn regard to sea groins at St. Clair, Mr Sidey has been informed that this is apparently a. work of a local character. WATER STORAGE IN CENTRAL OTAGO. In regard , to water storage in Central Otago for mining and irrigation, the Public works Department has detailed an experienced engineer io inquire into and report upon the matter, so that complete proposals may be submitted. Tho Enginecr-in-Chief himself recently-visited.the district, but lias •not yet been able to obtain sufficient data to deal with the matter, and as the winter has sot in the work has been' postponed until (lie spring, when it is hoped to satisfactorily complete the details and submit a scheme. CHILDREN'S TEETH. Replying to a question to-day, Mr Fowlds said: "My attention has boon drawn to the results of the examination of children's t«oth in Dunedin, and I regret to eeo that so many of the children suffer from bad teeth. Tho teeth, however, are only one part of tho child's anatomy, and I think if anything is done it should bo in the way of a general , medical inspection of the health of school ohildren. The main difficulty which stands in the way is that of expense. "