POLITICAL NOTES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13448, 21 November 1907, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

Special—By Telegraph. THE GOAL TRADE. WELLINGTON, November 20. The Minister of Mines was asked thiafternoon by Mr Hogg whether lie hue observed the unsettled state of the eoa' trade in the Australian Commonwealth owing to the formation of a coal vend oi trust under wluch a paralysis of th 'shipping 'trade and a general stiike wit! its consequent calamitous results appeare. imminent; if so, did he not think t-hi time had arrived when the Gov:rnmen of New Zealand ishou:d moia energetic ally prosecute the conservation and work ing of the State coal mines, so that' bj insuring an output equal to till ,reaeon able requirements' the people and theii industries may be placed safely beyoiu the influence of capitalistic combina ions. The Hon. J. MeGowan replied:— ") havo observed the condition of., affairs re garding ■coal trade in the Austra'.iai Commonwealth, but I think the steps that are being laken to further develop tin State coal mines at Point Elizabeth anc Seddonville will piovide the necessary increased production of coal to meet re quircments. I might point out that considerable expenditure will shortly be in curred in extending the Greymouth-Poinl E'.izabeth Railway in order to providf transit from a portion of the area held by the Crown that lias-been, proved to contain a huge supply of "coal of the bes: quality, and when ' the seams in <ha' locality have been fully opened up I anti cipate that the output from the Poin J Elizabeth mine will be very largely in creased." WAIMATE BRANCH LTNIO. Sir William. Seward asked the Ministei for Railways to-day when the nvoessan work of laying heavier rails on the Wai mate branch line, which it was under stood would have been completed befor. the present date, would b? taken in hand : and when it was expected that the line required for Ihe pi opened rearraugemeni of the Waimato .station yard will bs laic" down as shown in the yard plan. The Hon. Mr McGowan replied thai the. relaying of the Waimate branch lint would be undertaken as soon as ptfisib'.e A definite date could not, however, Ik stated. The rearrangement of the yarc would be undertaken-. at an early date. THE DOWNS RAILWAY. The Minister for Railways was askec by Sir William Steward whether, with s view to enabling the better working oi the Studholme-Waimate-Waihao Downs railway by making the.Downs the y.or>ing terminus "(its recommended by the Department), the erection at the Downs of tin necessary buildings for the train stafl would be promp.'.y proceeded with. txt explained that it is undeietood that the old Waimate railway station had beet removed' a nd utilised* for one of the requited new buildings, but it was necessary to provide one or two oher residences and an engine shed. The Hon. Mr McGowan said that in•st ructions hud been given for the removal of the old Waimate station, and the other necessary buildings would be provided iui eooii"as circumstances permitted. A HOUSE THAT IS WEARY. Thy Houi© is in a. very bad humour. The long duration of the session is getting on members' nerves. The members, realising that the session has so far.been the x.econd longest on record are pining for heme, ".particularly, the country members. The Premier speaking in the House at. an early hour tliis morning during an acrimonious second leading debate: on the Native Land Bill which met with considerable opposition, said that if the House had to stay till next week it would put this legislation through. He was not going to put himself.in the position of justifying'the imaginary cry that the Government were attempting to force the pace. A return he had secured showed that Pav]i«.m£iit had sat. 557 hours before midnight this session and only ninty hours afterward. Mr Mass-ey replied that the country was tired of the Government. When the ,«;ss4on_ came 'to tm end a,great .sigh of relief would go up from Europeans and natives, when further possibilities of mischief had disappeared. The longer they staved the weaker the Government became. The Premier said in that case-Mr Masse}- should agree to fit until December. The" subject-of the duration of tdia session was reverted to this afternoon when Mr Grav asked the •Premier'--if he. could fix an approximate date for the closing of the session. He. had promised that the session'would close on November 20th. The Premier: "Has the hon. member conferred with the leader of the Opposition on that question?" [Mr Massey : "What have I got to do with it?"'

(Ithe Premier: "On account- of the prolixity of soma members we have been a dar or two longer than I anticipated... I hope lion, members will assist in putting through the balance of the programme, and follow my example by talking as little as l>-*-siblci. (Laughter.' 7 ) Mr Lewis: "One of your sentences comprises 183 words.' , The. Premier: 'I will be very.g'ad to receive, and frame it as a reminiscence. (Laughter.) However, with the assistance of hon. gentlemen withoupt any undue haslte and siting at 11 o'clock each morning until 'Satiirdal",', we ought!, to complete bv Saturday night and save the possibility- of sitting- a day or two next ■we?.k." ■ iMr said lie* did no propose to offer anv objection to meeting at 11 a.m. e Hwas'anxious to expidite now as hs had been from the< verv-liist. the business of the-House, but he. was certain it would l>e batter to.chop fl« of the bills still on Ihe order paper rather than rush them through in an imperfect state, as would probablv be the case. •The Premier: "The lion, gentleman will see how wo get- on."