WELONGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2090, 15 March 1894, Page 17

WELONGTON NEWS NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, March 1. THE PREMIER AND THE GRAIN RATES. I find npon inquiring that the, at first sight, attractive proposal of the Premier to reduce the railway freight of grain by 25 per cent, is very disappointing at close quarters. Thus, the haulage of grain as a rule is over short distances, the average being about 35 miles, and on that basis the haulage is about 2d per bushel. It follows that the laudable anxiety of the Premier to give some relief to the agriculturists means bat a possible added gain of one halfpenny per bushel — or say Is per acre. At this rate, _and putting a fair output by the average sniall farmer at 600 bushels', he would at the end of the year be richer by 25s only. Now, while this would be an almost imperceptible aid to the individual settler, the aggregate reduction would mean a great loss of railway revenue. An examination of the Railway Commissioners' report for the past year will show that for the year ending 31st March 1893 the grain freight reached 525,630, which, computed on an average haulage of 35 miles, will be found to return over £160,000; so that the 25s per annum gain to the individual would mean a loss to revenue of £40,000. More than this, a large quantity of grain is sold for delivery at the nearest railway station, and in such cases the saving in freight would be pocketed by the agent or grain merchant. From this standpoint, therefore, it is pretty safe to assume that the commissioners are not likely to concur in the Premier's view. A WHOLE DEPARTMENT WIPED OUT. Such is the heading of an article in this evening's Post, which begins by stating that late yesterday afternoon intimation was received at Mount Cook barracks from the Defence Office that the services of all the officers of the Stores department, except the Defence storekeeper, Captain Anderson, were to be dispensed with at a month's notice, which was at once given them. Amongst the officers thus turned adrift are many of acknowledged capacity and very long service. The armourer, Mr Bradford, has been in the service for more than a quarter of a century, and is known as a most excellent Bkilled workman. The magazine keeper at Kaiwarawara is also amongst those to go. It appears that in all 18 officers have been dispensed with. March 2. TAXATION OF UNIMPROVED LAND VALUES. At a meeting of ratepayers last evening tLe following resolutions were agreed to :—": — " That in the opinion of this meeting the time has arrived for changing the basis of municipal taxation, the reasons for such change being as follow: — (1) That the present system is unjust to the progressive and energetic citizen, who by expending capital in the erection of buildings and developing industry adds to the wealth of the community, and through being taxed upon the value of his* improvements is fined for so doing ; (2) that the present system, imposing as it does a merely nominal tax upon the owner of unoccupied or unimproved land, retards municipal progress, and gives to the owner practically the whole benefit of the unearned increment ; (3) that this meeting is therefore further of opinion that the acts relating to municipal taxation should be so amended as to provide («) that all municipal rating should be on the capital value of the land alone, all improvements of every kind being exempt from taxation ; (J) that all lands which have been unoccupied or unimproved for a period of three years should be subjected to a further rate equal in amount to that imposed on improved lands, in other words a double rate." FAILING TO SUPPORT A WIFE. In adjudicating on a charge of failing to support a wife to-day, the stipendiary magistrate said that if a woman failed to get her husband's tea, refused to look after her children, and acted otherwise as a wife should not act, then he considered the husband was not compelled to provide for his wife. The case was dismissed. March 11. THE PBEMIER AND THE MAORI. - The Premier, as is his wont, is not doing things by halves in his tour through the King country, and his stirring addresses should bear good fruit — if not in the near future, yet in the fulness of time that must always pass ere the Maori can be moved to action. Speaking at Upper Wanganui (according to the Times' special), the Premier, among other things, said he could scarcely find words in which to express his pleasure at being there that day. The reception more than repaid him for the distance he had come, with their respected chief Topia, to meet them. He was determined that justice should be done to both race?. The couise adopted in the past had not been productive of good to the Maori race. He saw there that day only the remnant of a great people now fast passing away. He was there in furtherance of a desire to avert that evil. Next session would be one of the most important as affecting the Maori race that had ever been held. It was the desire of the pakeha to preserve the noble race that formerly held and owned this country. In the early days, when the Maoris were as numerous as the ferns on the hillside, and the pakehas few and powerless, the Maoris stretched out the hand of fellowship to them. Now that the pakehas were as plentiful as the fern it was their turn to reciprocate that friendship This they would do in a practical way. Hitherto the Natives had been parting with their lands in a manner which only tecded to impoverish them. He was travelling through. the country meeting the Natives face to face, so that they might open their minds to him, and so that tbpv might freely state their wants and wishes. Wh°n he had accertained their minds he would be able to decide what remedy to apply. The best way in which the Government could help them was in respect to their lands, so dealing with these that the Maori might again be placed in the proud position which he occupied when the pakeha first came to the colony. He saw a great many little children, and he had to say that this rising generation must be cared for by the Government, because the pledge was solemnly given when the Treaty of Waitangi was signed that the Government would find schools for the Native children. If their parents let them go to school and mix with the European children in the schools, both races would grow up in peace and unity, both having a fair share of the soil upon which to live. TUB COMING NATIVE POLICY. The Native Lands Acquisition Act of last session has so far remained a dead letter, and it is now stated that the Native mind has been industriously prejudiced against the measure _by mean whites, whose occupation would disappear with the operation of the act. As a matter of fact, the act is unworkable, because the Natives have the option of sale or lease, and they are willing to sell, but the Government cannot command the money. The Premier in his ppeeches in the King country makfs it clear that he intends important Native land legislation during the coming session, and the direction of this will, I believe, be absolute resumption of lands as required on valuation, with payment by debentures to the Public Trustee for the Native vendors, who will receive half-yearly interest as it accrues.

THE UNEMPLOYED LABOUR PROBLEM. The unemployed have come into view in two unexpected quarters during the past few days, and will exercise the minds of peripatetic Ministers. The gumdjggers of Auckland are in sore straits, so they have said in public meeting, consequent upon the low price of that product, and ask for work and land, thus adding the gumdiggers' difficulty to the other problems the Premier has set himself to solve during his northern tour. The Minister for Lands has found an unemployed difficulty awaiting him at Greymouth, owing to the stoppage of the local mines. Meanwhile each Sydney steamer brings a freak contingent from Australia seeking work, which they will find not, and winter is near at hand. I would suggest to the Premier that he would do well to cable each of the leading papers of Australia and plainly set oat the real condition of labour in this country. It would be but just to those who are here and an act of mercy to those who think of coming. The Minister for Labour has been on a visit of inspection to the newly acquired land at Levin, which it i| intended to convert into a State farm. The lines upon which this labour colony are to be worked have not yet been disclosed. March 13. THB PREMIER'S TOUR. The Premier's Native tour is generally approved here as an honest personal effort to come into the closest touch with the Maori people. BUSH SETTLEMENTS. I have reason to think that the Minister for Lands will extend the system of improved bush settlements, under which men are employed by the department to fell the bush and may afterward* have a first right to occupy upon lease. THE STATE FARM. The Minister for Labour informs me that his visit to the newly acquired land at Levin that is to be converted into a State farm was of a most satisfactory kind. Some 25 men are at present employed, and the manner of their work seems to have given the Minister complete satisfaction. Mr Reeves received a very cordial welcome, and took much pains to ascertain from the men their wishes and aspirations with regard to the settlement. The Minister has arranged to visit the bush settlement at Pemberton. STOPPING PUBLIC WORKS. A further reduction in number of co-operative labourers is reported, and the indisposition to expend appropriations under the Public Works Statement is the cause of hostile comment from persons interested. Lack of funds and a desire to create a surplus are variously given as the causes. LICENSING ELECTIONS. The Moderate party seem likely to be in the ascendant in the licensing elections. the' pbemier. The Times has a vague announcement to the effect that though the Governor will not be accompanied to Raratonga by any responsible advisers the Premier may desire to go for business reasons and recreation. He has certainly earned a holiday.