A MINISTER ON TOUR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144082, 29 April 1913, Page 6

A MINISTER ON TOUR.

MEETS NUMEROUS DEPUTATIONS. Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, April 28. The Hon. W. Herries spent a busy time to-day in receiving deputations. The first deputation represented the Otago Boys’ High School Jubilee Association, which asked for railway concession for old boys in other-places in connection with its'jubilee in August. The .Minister pointed out that if he fronted the request a precedent would 6 established, but~he would, give the application serious consideration. A deputation from Gatlins' sawmjllers urged the cessation of the rebate.of Is •pir 100 ft. in favour of timber from Southland, so that the Gatlins millers would be put on an equal footing. It Was pointed out that by the rebate the railways were hauling the timber at an unprofitable rate for a long distance, when the required quantity could be brought from half the distance. ■ , The Minister said that whefl he looked into the railways tariff he found so many anomalies that the whole tantt would have to be examined, and he 'was waiting for the General Manager to become familiarised with the country in order to go through the whole question, and this, matter would not be overlooked. ■ ‘ ~, . Mr. J. Ingles Wright, on behalf of Mr. D. M‘Austin, bootmaker, brought before the notice of the Minister a patent boot invented by Mr. M Austin .for, minimising the risks of shunters, whose feet are occasionally caught between the rails at points and crossings, and asked for an official test. •' The Minister said that the department would make a test of the boot. In reply to another deputation the Minister promised to look into the question of advertisement hoardings at railway stations, and said that unless a contract carried a right of renewal it would not be renewed. > . . A very strong deputation waited on the ‘Minister, representing the Law-rence-Roxburgh Railway League, Otago Central Railway League, and Dunedin Expansion League, and - some nine speakers advocated the of Otago and tfio importance and necessity of pushing on the completion of the Lawrence-Roxburgh, line to Beaumont and carrying it further. It was also urged that the Otago Central Railway should lie constructed as far as Cromwell at least. Speaking on behalf of the Lawrence - Roxburgh League, a member of the deputation stated that expansion should go from Beaumont to Roxburgh, net from Edievale. That was the only route that would suit them as fruitgrowers. , , The Minister, in reply, said that the people were" going . the right way to get new railways, as thev lost no opportunity of advertising their country. It was a good idea to get the North Island members down to see the cijun4rv. They were working on the right lines, but"he could not tell them when fruition would take place. He hoped next year to go over the route spoken of and soe a little more of the country. The question of how much land was to-be opened up in the near future depended on Mr. Allen’s report when he returned from England, and the position of the English money market. Mr. Herries received a large deputation of Maoris, representing Kaiapm, Mooraki, Puketaraki, Otakau, and Henley, with reference to matters of interest to the Native race. Taitahu Hape drew attention to the fact that free medical and hospital treatment, had been given to the Maoris in accordance with the agreement with the Ncatahu tribe in 1848. The services of the doctors, however, had now been dispensed with, and the people did not know’ the reason for this action. . _ Mr Herries said he had -been informed by the Native Department that the Government paid £2OOO a year to the Education Department for free medical attendance for the Maoris, and recently decided to introduce a new, system, and notices to that effect had been sent out. The deputation could take his assurance that it was not intended to do away with free medical attendance. In respect to the Landless Natives Act, it was stated that whereas the Act provided for the granting of 50 acres to a landless Native, there yere cases where the holder held,four.lots, under different names, and it was suggested that where such was proved l in the Native. Land Court the land should be taken from those persons who had more than they were entitled to and given,to the Maoris who had no land at all-. ' ' ' ■ ' ,■ •' Mr. .T.‘Parata, M.P., suggested the setting up of a Royal Commission to inquire into Native land affairs. Mr. Herries said, in regard to the administration of the Land to Landless Natives - Act, that it was clear that something would have to bo done on the lines suggested by Mr. Parata.