POLITICAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 61, 26 October 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL.

NOTES BY THE WAY. Mr J .B. Hine, the Reform candidate, is announced to address the electors in several centres, commencing on Tuesday, October 31st. Since 1898 the number of women who have been successful in obtaining land at the ballot under the Land for Settlements Act has been 616. In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon Mr G. W. Russell (Ayon) mentioned that the Joint Libraries Committee had reported that a vote was to be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for the purpose of establishing a department in connection with the collection of documents relating to the early history of the country. He hoped that if the work Were undertaken it would be under the personal supervision of the Prime Minister. A request for documents made to members of families possessing the information required would be more likely to have favourable consideration if it came. from the Prime Minister than from a departmental officer. Sir Joseph Ward said he was favourable to the course suggested. He would be only too pleased to help by personal communication.

Wellington “Dominion” says:— ‘'Though no official statement lias been nyido, it is understood that the general election will take place on Wednesday, November 29th.” We, iii Stratford, will earnestly pray Heaven forbid! A number of amendments and additions to the Public Service Classification and Superannuation Act have been brought down by the Prime Minister. It is proposed that contributions to the, fund are to b'e payable in the first place to the Post Office account, and that the balance is to be paid over to the Public Trustee monthly for investment in accordance with regulations M be brought dowm. •.Tjiere are provisions extending the scope of the section dealing with tjio temporary stoppage of contributors’ salaries. ; ' Another clause provides that subject tp regulations to be made any person who has been employed in any branch of. the Government service other than the Civil Service for a continuous period of not less-than ten years may be transferred therefrom to the Civil Service ns a permanent officer. ' A return was presented to Parliameht yesterday, showing the land settlement finance associations which had been incorporated, declined, or under negotiation from , March 31st last to September 30th. In the Auckland district three associations were incoriPprated, the total number of members being nineteen. The area of land acquired was 2313 acres, the price being £32,350. There were also throe associations incorporated in the Canterbury district, each containing five members. The land purchased comprised 3404 acres, the price being £3£|,393. V j Nq ~;associations were incprporated in other parts of the Dominion, but in the Wellington district; tyto associations, totalling fourteen members; were declined. Associations negotiating on September 30th in various parts of the country numbered tern with a membership of eighty. The aggregate area of land involved was 14,189 acres, the price asked being £260,836. .