HEAVY BEER CONSUMPTION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19695, 29 July 1938, Page 12

HEAVY BEER CONSUMPTION

PROHIBITED i\l AN (Pur Pr»*ss Assuuiution.) CHRISTCHURCH, last night. Although bound by a prohibition order made six months ago, Thomas Lawson, a labourer, procured during that time 30 gallons of beer, 18 dosen bottles of beer and eight dozen bottles of stout, according to statements made in the Magistrate's Court this morning. when Lawson was charged with a breach of his order. Lawson had told the police the stout was a tonic for his sick wife and the beer was for himself. A fine of £2 was imposed by Mr. E. C. Levvey, S.M. Ownership of Land Referring to the development of native lands, Sir Apirana Ngata contended that there was a danger of the State, as the developer or financier, thinking it owned the lanciTinstead of the actual Maori owner. | The Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. j Langstone: That is not in the minds of the department. Sir Apirana Ngata: I am glad to hear it, but it is in the minds of a good many of the supervisors in the department. It is one of the things we fear to-day: in fact, there is the Land Department complex in the Native Department, and this should be avoided. “Progressive Budget” The Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, congratulated the Minister of Finance on what, he said, was one of the most progressive Budgets that had ever been introduced in the House. There had been constant criticism, he said, ot the Government’s expenditure on roads, ! but lie had frequently stressed the necessity I'or such development on account of the rapid increase in motor I transport. The development of mod-

crn high-powered transport had rendered a great percentage of the existing reading system obsolete and dangerous, and we must follow the example of overseas countries in remedying the position. Speaking of the public works expenditure, he said that in the public works estimates presented with the Budget there appeared a sum of £16,712,230 for public works, and in the Budget there was a sum of £20,719,700 for public works. The difference between these amounts was £'1,007,500. This comprised additional money available for public works from the Consolidated Fund, the Employment Promotion Fund, and special receipts. The following amounts for purposes outside the public works fund appearing in the main estimates were presented with the Budget: Lands for settlement, £345,000: State coal-mines, £90,000: State forests, £640,000: total, £1,075,000. Of the total of £20,719,700, an amount of £12,757,000 was under the control of the Minister of Public Works. The Government’s five-ye,." plan on bnckbloek roads, spiel Mr. Semple, would be completed in three and aha!f years, and then there would not he a single unmetalled road in the bnckbloeks. Speaking of irrigation, the Minister said that, a sum of £514,000 had been spent on this important aspect of development in the last three years, and the area irrigated in that period had increased from 50,000 to (5,000 aci The debate was adjourned on the notice of Mr. E. L. Cullen, and the House rose at 10.25 p.m. *