POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 28, 18 September 1911, Page 6

POLITICAL.

NOTES BY THE WAY. A Mr. •G. P. Wake has withdrawn ‘.from the contest for the Egmont seat.. . ‘ ; " , . , , Egmont is still hoping to have a Minister as’Candidate. ■ Mr. Joseph McCluggage speaks at Tariki. to-morrow night. • A return presented to Parliament shows that in the last five years only £lO 4s has beep paid/in duty on butter imported to New Zealand. In 1908 the duty, totalled £2‘ 16s, and in 1908 £7 ‘Bs,. •In . 1907,. 1909, and 1910 no duty whs collected. On the motion of Sir Arthur Guinness areturn was presented to Parliament showing that for, tho year coal totalled 194,611 tons, and for ■ 1911 274.471 tons, a total of 469,082 ' ,tbns fpr the two years. . 7 . Settlers .--an the Palnatua district -have combined to represent to the Government the .desirability of acquiring the Balfour estate, of 3343 acres, for closer settlement. The property Ues withiiva mile and a hah of the/Paliiatua Borough, and is said to be. eminbfatly*'suitaole for closer settlement; as it can be subdivided into ideal sheep and dairy farms. Ihe settlers who have brought the matter up by a- petition (which was presented by Mr. Ross) say that the property if cut up into small holdings would- easily support twenty families, while at present it is? owned in part by. an. absentee and is under one management. In a Parliamentary return published recently of the profits of the various State departments, the returns , of the State oyster fisheries in 191011 we’re given as nil. It is explained that'the reason for this was that the : oyster-beds were not opened up last year. The fact that a profit has been made every season the beds have been open since/the .Government undertook the working of-' them, while at the same time they have been conserved apd. have produced oysters at a rea- • Rouble rate, is proof that tho oyster /industry in the north is being sucy. cessfujdy managed by the State.