POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14324, 29 September 1910, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

IMPORTANT BILL. (By Our Parliamentary Reporter.) V WELLINGTON;'Sept. 28. Tlic Inalienable life Annuities Bill, which has been introduced in the Legislative Council by the Attorncy-Gjoneral (the Hoh. Dr. Findlay) is a measure of far reaching importance. Briefly: put it is an attempt to provide means whoreby .the poorer professional people and the poorer working people may erect ah inalienable annuity. It will provide particularly for daughters or for children who have a-failuig of (some unfortunate kind. - As -the law stands to-day this cannot be done. Providing the measure passes, a father will. bo.able to make provision of the kind referred to without the possibility of the annuity being alienated by bankruptcy.or.in.any other way whatever; j DEFENCE APPOINTMENTS. The Minister of Defence informed Mr. Lang -thiseafternoon* that ;the. appointments of non-poromis-, ■ sioned officers as adjutants and .instructors will be made immediately qh. the return of all local examinations, being received at headquarters. These: are expected -to arrive ’this week,, when the final-selection will, bo madei; WORKERS’ DWELLINGS. A -few days ago-the Prime Minister was asked ;by Mr. Jennings whether it is a fact that the Government, in regard to applications for advances to settlers, are issuing plans 'for work-men’s-homes,, and .that ,it. an applicant builds according to those plans.'the Government will advance money ? Yes, that is 'so, .replied ~Sir ...Joseph Ward this afternoon:Plans and* specifications ‘for 'buildings’“costing '* from £l5O upwards will;be supplied, free of .charge and are now -being prepared. ON LOAN. . ; There was a certain amount of - humour in -a question.addressed- .to; the ■Minister; of r. Defence, .-who-,..is also:tho Prime Minister, by .Mr.:James,,Allen, who asked, whether a statement, from the London‘ correspondent, of the r Otago Daily ‘Times'published in 1 the issue of that paper on September r20,-1910, to the following effect- is correct ?—“Colonel Godley, -Colonqj Heard and. Captain Burnett f Stuart s are really; on . loan to the - New : Zoaland-‘ Government. -under the Defence 1 Scheme' as Colonel Davies is to the Imperial Government.” i : The; reply was- given in kind ~-is .follows :—“Major-General Colonel t'Heard an d'Captain .Burnett Stuart arc coming -to on a definite engagement as-hv-the .case of previous commandants, .and staff. - I have received ‘no intimation,-as to ‘whether Colonel Davies; is- on loan * to; the Imperial-Government • or' not;” " ri

( - HIGH PRICES FOR IiAND. > i

h;; An important feature in' connection, with- the land settlement policy of.' th« . Dominion was' recently brought lindcl > the notice of .the’Government by/-Mr. 'Forbes', who'asked whether Sir Joseph Ward intended to-introduce legislation this' session to deal with the deadlock in the opera tions df the land-dor-settle- : monts policy- caused by the unduly-high prices: < demanded: hy, •- owners l * of-r-l&rge estates wheh approached by the* Government for- their acquisition for "closer?settlement? "In an attached note the niember' for; Hurunui out that) tho fact, as stc-tod by thol’rimo Minister recently, that "the Cabinet'on© day ! last week had considered 'the - purchase o! eight estates, ind in’ every 1 case ’but ;one jthe- price-was too high- and iri’.thc one estate' excepted- its acquisition ,-was doubtful, reveals a .very uneatiefactorj istate'jof-Va'ffairsi.. * >£ ! ’’;",: Sir Joseph Ward’s-reply was- brief and to.the point;'Legislation changing thei.present'unsatisfactory he said;- will he submitted this session'.- 1 SHIPPING- AND SEAMEN’S ACT.

■■■■• The Minister of Marine was asked by Mr; Okey a few days- ago-whether the Royal assent" had been given to [the i Shipping ■ and Seamen’s. Act of 1 last’ session, :and when it was/anticipated the Act would bo brought into force? - i The Ministerial reply was as follows: communication was received : frqm the Secretary ■of State for - the Colonies asking for information with/regard to certain provisions of the Act : referred to, to- which a reply has been-sent; It is anticipated: that there will now ■be no difficulty. in connection with obtaining his Majesty’s assent; and that advice or it will bo received shortly. ‘ As ’soon as it is received the necessary proclamationtosbring the Act into force will be issued. , £50,000 PER MILE. i According -to the Hon; J. E. Jenkinson i the ■ work of duplicating the Hutt railway : line and constructing the now Hutt Road will cost about £50,000 per mile. :He facetiously suggested in- the Legislative Council that it would /have been -just l as easy. to have constructed a tunnel right through the hills from Wellington to 1 Lower Hutt. The cost of the Otira Tunnel would be s about - £60,000 per mile and that was what the cost of the great Simplon Tunnel had been. Ho added a grain of comfort by stating that the job was a very good one. ■ ■■ ■ ‘ ■-