Political Intelligence.

Southland Times, Issue 14100, 13 July 1898, Page 3

Political Intelligence.

(By Telegraph.) (FROM OUR PARLIAMENTARY CORBESPON- ' DENT.) [Wellington, July 12. A statement under the Lande for SettleAnt was laid before the House to-day by Ue Minister of Lands.. The report -tates that 70 estates, comprising 538,14acres were offered during the year ; 129,199 acres’ w«e declined ; 44,811 acres were not recommended ; 2743 acres offered were wn • °3l 470 acres are under ’ and 25 estates (140,138 acres) we S re recommended to be purchased, bat for reasons some of these were withZ ,1 ® that up to 31st March, offers to purchase had been made to only eight nf 17 278 acres, of which six for 16*743 acres. Twelve estates negotiations for e the greater pari of this area were begun in the previous year. Since the commencement of land purchase “fates have been bought, comprising 154 624 acres and costing L 668.531, to which hasbeen added L 37.197 for roading and surha®;„® Q; nC e 31st March two estates have veyiDg. YjriDiilDS up expendiconsidered I ?h°cVnital cost, and it was not considered advisable to recommend taking action under the report for 1897 of the manager of the filiation Board. Little interest attache * statement since that tor 1&98 nae already detlt with. Mr Foster comthe strictures of the Colonial Auditor Wealing with the expenditure under the whenl account. Mr Foster had a good m * ny gays. u b station manager and as penence, both as properties, I ma y inspector of stations aD J ow f ed o£ these matwr! 5 which possibly is not the case with matters, wu«, r . merely throws th e Coloma J a hearaa / natore .» ° U Fr a o n m a return it appears that, the debenamounted to>Ll W* 'XoS subsequently th by the present issued against Jj 1894 t he 2SZ7S.” «. —g ?»■> smiting on i v L 117,800 was available, 1“, - 1895-96 the Government began to b u fc ,h the sinking funds of local bodies and ±LI 4 I 40 " by thi C°™ ent o 10 represented sinking funds of these v jC Year by year the funds available from this Source y hlve diminished until I in qfi 97 only L 70.300 was obtained, and of the ?£9 600 secured in 1897-98 L 23,100 repreIfnted the sinking funds of local bodies mhia return was given on the motion of Mr VGolwnment supporter, and

shows that although the Premier determined last year not to issue any njore debentures against local bodies’ sinking funds he has felt it necessary to do bo to the extent of L 23,100. The total amount added to the debt of the colony in this way by the present Government is L 1,538,200. Many compl lints are heard of want of work at the Government railway workshops, and it is alleged that the reason is want of money in the exchequer. The Minister of Railways has always protested that the exchequer was bare, notwithstanding the Premier’s assertion that “ money was no object.” At Addington workshops on 31st March, 248 permanent and 134 casual hands were employed, and at Hillside 158 permanent and 136 casual. It is understood that of 676 hands employed in the Government workshops 20 per cent, have since 31st March been discharged. The annual report of the Minister of Education drab with the progress and condition of education for 1897, and includes reports of all the Educational Institutes. The working average of public rchools was 112,328, an increase of 1811 on the previous year. The number on the rods, one week with another, was 133,961, and the “ strict average” attendance was 110,993, so that 82 9 per cent, repretents the average attendance, being the highest yet attained. The number of pupib entered in 1897 was 48,756 and the number that left 40,092, and 7504 left between closing of the schools in 1896 and reopening in 1897. These hgh figures result from frequent removals from one school to another and from long ab»eoces which lead to temporary striking off of names. Of new pupils 15,842 were admitted and 14,682 retired. The Minister observis that it seems fair to conclude that about 43'6 per cent remain in the schools for a while after they have passed the sixth standard ; that 16 7 and 18-3 per cent leave after pissing the fifth and that 40'6 per cent of those th-t leave are above the age of 15 upon leaving, while only 8 2 per cent are under 13. The number of schools increased from 1533 to 1585 ; the schools growing faster than the pupils. The average pupils to each school is Irss than 70. L 359.412 was paid in sa'aries to 3810 teachers, an average of L 94 6s81; about 20a less than the average last year. Mr Kelly is asking the Gov. rnment to supply a return showing whit alditional revenue would accrue by the qbolilion of the exemptions under the land tax. Mr Ward is wanting to know if any portion of last year’s loan of L 200,000 for railways was spent on repairs, and if so to what extent.

Mr Gilfedder wants the Government to place LlOO on the estimates for the purpoie of making exp riments in testing the capabilities of Southland to grow sugar best. Mr Tregear, Secretary to the Labour Department, states that the year was one of prosperity for the woiking classes, with the exception of two or three trades. The total helped during the year was 2035 men, having 4928 dependents. In the previous year the number was 1718, with 4719 dependents. Since the inception of the Department in June, 1891,'Some 19,492 men, with 47,487 dependents, have been helped ; these figures do not include 296 women. Engineers and ironworkers have been busy, woollen mills and clothing factories have been in full swing, and the tailoring and dressmaking businesses have been working l overtime. Goldmining ie depressed in the north and expanding in the south. Factories are increasing; 5691 .were registered during the year, with 39,672 hands ; an increase of 424 factories and 2754 workers. Bootmaking, however, has been depressed and the report states that under the present industrial system, with. the limited commerce of the colony, there is no hope for bootmakers, printers, or workmen in any business where machinery is superceding manual labour, yet grave complaints are made by ti ade unions and parents of the overtime now worked ; 4342 persons worked 107,516 hours overtime. 144 accidents occurred to work people and Mr Tregear suggests an extension of the English Workmen’s Compensation Act to New Zealand employes. (Feb Press Association), This afternoon a deputation representing the Municipal Association waited on the Premier in reference to the Municipal Franchise Bill, now before the House. They asked that the bill be prevented from going through committee until the annual confer-, ence, which meets on Monday, has an opportunity of discussing it and expressing an opinion on it. The Premier said he had come to the conclusion that there must be an amendment in the municipal law, especially in regard to the franchise. He would do all in his power to get the bill through as quickly as possible and he did not think the business of the country would be interfered with. So far as the principle of the bill was concerned the Government already had the mind of the conference and it was unreasonable to ask him to postpone the business in that respect.