POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4713, 3 August 1893, Page 3

POLITICAL NOTES.

[feom oue special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 2. JOTTINGS AND INCIDENTS. A number of petitions from different parts of the Colony were presented to-day in favour of the Direct Veto Bill, while a large petition from Canterbury against that measure, containing over four thousand signatures, was also presented. j The Lyttelton Harbour Land Bill has been amended by the Local Bills Committee, 80 that public right of free access to the Cave Rock, Stunner, is preserved. The petition of William Olliver, enginedriver, Lyttelton, is referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The Waste Lands Committee dealt today with the petitions of Marmaduke Dixon and other?, and of the Waimakariri- Ashley Water Supply Board. With reference to the first-named, the recommendation is that no private water rights should be admitted in any County or water-supply district unless under the control and sanction of the Council or Board concerned. On the Board's petition the decision is that in the opinion of the Committee the Act is defective so far as Part 2 is concerned, but as there seems to be considerable diversity of opinion in the district, no further legislation should take place till after the next election of the Board. Mr Saunders to-day presented the petition of Lieutenant Beere, who prays for a grant of 400 acres of land, of which he claims to have been wrongfully deprived. At the meeting of the Labour Bills Committee to-day, when the Shops Bill was under consideration, Mr Rolleston attended and presented a petition signed by 1900 residents of Christchuroh to the effect that there was no necessity for such a measure. Letters were read from Messrs Ballantyne & Co., Shaw, Robinson & Co., Strange & Co. and others, protesting against the Bill, Messrs Strange and Co. Btating that the volume of trade would be reduced by at least £800 per week if the Bill were carried. Mr Rolleston urged the contentions of the i petitioners, but without effect. An ' attempt was made to make the Bill operative as from October 1 next, so as to give the electors an opportunity of expressing their opinions, but this was rejected and the original date of Jan. 1, 1894, adhered to. SHEEP EETUENS. An interim return of sheep in the Colony on April SO last was laid on the table by the Minister for Lands, showing the following results : — Auckland district, 841,733 Bheep, an increase of 49,758 ; Napier, 4,108,027, an increase of 168,435} I Wellington and west coast, 3,715,333, an increase of 242,781; Marlborough and Nelson, 828,754, an increase of 8243; Canterbury and Kaikoura, 6,469,496, an increase of 22,413; Otago, 4,394,387, an increase of 93,539; total for the Colony, 19,357,730; increase, 786,978. The inorease is divided between the two islands as follows:— North 461,064, South 325,914. THE AUCKLAND ELECTION. [FEOM OUB SPECIAL CORKKBPONDBNT.] WELLINGTON, August 2. Ie is reported that the result of the Auckland election will be largely swayed by the temperance vote, which, it is said, will be given to Mr Bees, while the publican party ia understood to be supporting Mr Cadman. [Pbb Press Association."} AUCKLAND, August 2. At Mr Reej' meeting of electors a motion was passed expressing approval of Sir Robert Stout's Licensing Act Amendment Bill, and trusting that it will become law this session. Mr Cadman addressed the electors for the last time to-night at Ponsonby. A hearty vote of thanks was proposed and carried by a large majority for his straightforward, manly and truthful addresses. The meeting was somewhat lively, several men having to be ejected from the hall by the police.