POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143842, 17 July 1912, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE OOOK ISLANDS DIFFICULTY.

A NEW RESIDENT COMMISSIONER (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) AVELLINGTON, July 16. Cabinet has decided that Mr. 0. B. Mae.Oormick, a judge of tho Native Land Court, shall act as Resident Commissioner at the Cook Islands. Captain J. Eman Smith is to be retained meantime in AVelliagton. He will be pied partly with matters pertaining to the Cook Islands and partly in other duties. THE REEFTON STRIKE. A deputation of Reefton residents waited on the Prime Minister to-day with regard to the settlement of the Labour troubles in that district.,! The deputation was introduced by the Hon. Sir Arthur Guinness, but the proceedings were private. CLOSER SETTLEMENT. The Land Purchase Board has reported favourably regarding the purphase of the Mount Nossing Estate in South Canterbury, and the Government will acquire it for closer settlement. The estate consists of 6000 acres of freehold and 30,000 acres of grazing country. GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING. An interesting return showing the amounts paid to newspapers in the four principal centres for Government advertising during the three years ended .March 31 last has been prepared for the information of the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher (Minister in charge o? the Government Advertising Department). Tnis return shows that the following amounts have been paid during tho three-year period to the papers mentioned:—Auckland Star £1253, Auckland Herald £1243, Auckland Weekly News £413, Auckland, Observer £441, Weekly Graphic £263, Lyttelton Times £1385, .Christchurch Press £1354, Christchurch Spectator (weekly) £536, .Christchurch Weekly Press £260, Christchurch Evening News £34, Christchurch Star £33, Dunedin Evening Star £1320, Otago Daily Times £l4Ol, Otago Witness £357, Wellington Evening Post £1903, New Zealand Times £1824, Dominion £126, New Zealand Truth £llß, New Zealand Free Lance £559. “In view of the extraordinary condition of affairs revealed by this return,” Mr. Fisher stated yesterday, “I have issued instructions to tho Advertising Department to the effect that advertisements are to be inserted in those papers from which the department. conceives it is likely to get the most benefit, and that the department is to >p run as on commercial lines and uotSis a political institution, by which largo sums have been divided between certain newspapers to the exclusion of others. The amount is to bo split np, without the aggregate vote being exceeded, and the distribution of the advertisements is to be absolutely impartial.” . ■ ■ h, ,