THE CABINET.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13840, 27 February 1909, Page 5

THE CABINET.

I IN THE FAR M.RTJL Per Press Association: lhc Hon. R. McNab left io-night for Coromandel. He -»ilt enUcontatly visit the Thames and Wailii. T'<p latter i town will. be reached on Tuesday night, and. the Minister is puin* t« devote Wednesday to Mooting deputations. On Thursday morning the Minister will leave for. Katikati and Tauraiiga, and on Friday morning for Tepuke and Whakatane. He w!1 piobably remain for the-night at Whakatane, and proceed to Opotiki ~n Saturday thence to Motu by horse. The remainder of the journey to Gisborno will be made by conveyance and tiain. A deputation from the Auckland University College Council waited upoii the Minister for. Mines this i.fterhoon in regard to the Auckland School of Mines. Sir Maurice O'Rourko said the Auckland College had c-stablished a School of Mines, but it was not on tlie same footing with the School of Mines at Dunedin. Ho thought it only fair that in Auckland they should have similar privileges. For instance, a young man at Wailii had won a scholarship, but was compelled to go to Duntfdiu to enjoy its privileges. The Minister,said that personally ho thought that it was better to have one good School of Mines -than three or four bad ones. .He .would, however look into : the matter.''

LAND HUNGER. WELLINGTON, Feb. 26. A deputation . from the Cheltenham district, introduced.- by Mr Guthrie, M.P., waited on the Prime Minister this afternoon, with a, request that the Government should acquire the Riddiford ■ estate, adjoining the. Cheltenham dairy factory. .It was urged that if the property, consisting of 1700 acres, was cut up, it could be reduced to farms of froni 25 to 100 acres, end that the milk supply, to the factory would be very greatly increased to the benefit of the country as a.- whole. It was understood that Mr.Riddiford is willing to sell, and that 'there is a. general desire on the. part of the dwellers in the district that the property should be acquired, aiid-that tho'district shndd not be kept back by such an prea bting lield ih the lianas', (if tne inan. The. Prilne Minister said lie was. anxious to assist in the {.tquisition of estates for closer settlement, particularly thrive whieli, could be cut lip into small areas., -Tllis 'particular'-property recommended itself in that respect. The. Government, had' had negotiations with Mr Riddiford,- but hitherto had hot been able to come to terms. If a proper and 'reasonable price v as ai rived at, he was favourable to acquiring the property. The only thing he could do wiis to ask the Land Purchase Board to inspect the; property fn.cl. fix the price, and if Mr Riddiford would accept a fair offer, lie should be quite prepared to haye'the acquisition carried oiit. That, of course, was independent of what niigiit be done under the compulsory sections of the Act. He knew that, in some cases land-owners had had.their property rated at an abnormal value, \vitli; a .view to pi eventing tlie acquisition of ,thc estate by.tho Government, and. if by that the pro-., gress- of land-, settleuient was affected, the Goyernhjent • would hiivo to bring in ah. amendment of the law, so as ,to prevent iiii undue, price being demanded.. Closer, settlement was necessary 'to the progress of tjie domm-' ion,- and, if a satisfactory price could bo fixed, .he was, prepared to rccommeiid the acquisition of estates.