POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4711, 1 August 1893, Page 1

POLITICAL NOTES.

[FROM OUR SPECIAL COnRBEPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, July 31. The Minister for Lands has received a full report from Mr Marchant, Commissioner of Crown Land?, Christchurcb, embodying a scheme for the subdivision of the Cheviot Estate. As the Minister has not yet had time to look into the report I cannot give details of the proposals, but it is expected that these will shortly be laid on the table of the House. I have reason to believe that the Railway Commissioners will report adversely on the Midland Railway Company's proposals, in so far as these relate to the Belgrove-Motueka section of tbe line. THE VOLUNTEERS. Considerable dissatisfaction is expressed with the principle on which capitation is paid to and withheld from volunteer corps. A question on the subject will be put by Mr Taylor to the Minister for Defence,|and it is hoped that the result of attention being drawn to the matter will be an alteration of the principle on which capitation is apportioned. The following very anomalous rulings are pointed out in connection with Christchurch Companies:— The City Guards, with a roll of 37, of whom 31 are efficient, earned £63 capitation and drew nothing. The College Rifles 61 strong, of whom only 33 are efficient, received £67 capitation. The Christohurch Rifles 49 strong, of whom 44 are efficient, earned £49 capitation and drew none. The A. Company 63 strong, of whom only 24 are efficient, draw £49 capitation. The Canterbury Scottish .48 strong, of whom 24 are efficient, drew no capitation. The Richmond Rifles 33 Btrong, cf whom fifteen are efficient received no capitation. The palpable deduction from these figures ia that there should be a certain proportion of efficients to the full strength before capitation is granted; and it is aIBO claimed that the minimum of sixty strong, upon which capitation alone is paid, might with advantage be reduced. MR CADMAN. The Premier has received a letter signed by the Mayor of Danevirke and fifty-two old residents, on the subject of the Umutuoroa Block, which is the land in which Messrs Cadman and Smith were concerned. The object of the communication ti to counteract the false statements and I impressions that have gained currenoy to the effect that their dealing with the block in question was not in the interests of the district or of the Native owners. It is pointed out that the purchase of the block by Mr Smith had the full approval of the people of the district, who were benefited by the extensive sawmilling operations established by Mr Cadman ; that the Natives have ample lands in the district, one block alone being 35,000 acres in extent; and that no complaint 3 had ever been made by either Natives or Europeans against Messrs Cadman and Smith. ELECTORAL BILL. The Speaker is reported to have given his opinion that the ruling of the Chairman of Committees on Friday night, by which a leasehold qualification was added to the Electoral Bill, was erroneous, and that at a. later stage the words added jtnu&t be struckvout. Sir-R. 'SfcoUt argued-at the time ; 'tbjtt^the, . '^having 1 ". 4>eeh passed] it'was »ot compe'tent-tb .ins&jj; -new wordsinat,.ai(id : ihis ■-yiewtis upheld'fey the Speaker; THE DIRECT VETO. Sir R. Stout's Licensing Act Amendment Bill will be the firsc order of the day for Wednesday, and it is expected that the brewers and their friends will talk at such length aa to prevent a vote being taken on the second reading. There is no doubt whatever that there is amajority iv favour of the second reading, but those who would bo far uphold the direct veto principle are by no means unanimous as to the details. A section will support the insertion of a compensation clause, and another section will insist upon a majority of two* thirds or three- fourths being fixed before prohibition can be enforced. Long odds ate now offered here that Mr Cadman will wrest the Auckland seat from Mr Rees by a majority of at least two thousand $ this, in face of the fact that Mr Rees has the influence of Sir G. Grey and the President of the Trades and Labour Council, is a Btrong indication of the confidence felt in the result of Fxiday's contest. workmen's wages. The Workmen's Wages Bill provides that workmen employed in manual labour shall be paid weekly wage?, to be a first charge on money due or in the hands of a contractor. Any assignment of money due or received under a contract to have no effect until all wages are paid. Monejs received by a contractor are not to be attached except by workmen until all wages are paid. The contractor is to keep accounts, and must show the eaine on demand to any workman whose wages are in arrearu. A workman may attach money in the hands of a contractee due to a contractor, and a workman obtaining judgment against a contractor may compel the contractee to pay him from the money due to the contractor. [Per Pre&s Association.! Mr F. Martin, Secretary of the Municipal Association, has forwarded to the Premier, on behalf of the executive, who held a meeting here last week, a letter endorsing Mr Bell's protest against the action of the Government respecting the Municipal Corporations Bill, and covering communications on the subject from New Plymouth, Chrietchurch, Dunedin and Nelson. AUCKLAND, July 31. A meeting of the Auckland Liberal Association was held to-night to consider the position of the Association with reference to the city election. A motion was submitted that the Association do not express any opinion on either candidate. An amendment was proposed that the Association suppoit Mr Cadman. After a heated discussion of two hours' duration, the amendment was carried by a large majority. Mr Rees' supporters consider that the action taken will disintegrate the Association.