MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2201, 27 May 1908, Page 2

MINISTERIAL MOVEMENTS

THE PRIME MINISTER.

TIIE MINISTER FOR LABOR.

Press Association. c- t i „ T Er t rHAM < May 20 Sir Joseph AVard arrived at Eltliam at noon, and opened the technical school, a well-equipped wooden structure, for the building of which tlio Government made a grant of £lll7 and tho Courthouse, a handsome brick building. Ho was entertained at luncheon along with Miss AVard. Deputations after waited upon him urging the opening up of tile road to Rotokare, a pretty lake surrounded by bush, which lias been mentioned in Parliament. In connection with the Itotokare Domain case, the Premier promised that if a formal application were sent in, he would place £250 on the Estimates, and would favorably consider giving it a subsidy ol £ for £' on the £250 promised by the local bodies and Air. T. Jenkins. Settlers interested were granted an extension of the telephone system be-, yoiid Omona. Deputations also waited to urge the construction of the Eltham-Opunaka railway and the extension ot the railway station at Elth'am. Tho Premier promised consideration. Sir Joseph AA’ard addressed a largo meeting hero to-night. Ho dealt largely with land legislation, touching on native land settlement, graduated land tax, and land for settlement. He also referred to the civil service superannuation, and forecasted a superannuation scheme for ail for next session. He said he would ask Parliament next year to increase the right of the colonies to ask preference from Britain, while not interfering with Britain’s fiscal controversy. Regarding tfie Arbitration Act, the Premier said it should bo amended' and' not abolished. He was against imprisonment which would make heroes of men as it had done with the English suffragists. Ho advocated the abolition ot tlio clause which provided for imprisonment, and making as prefect as possible machinery for the collecting of fines. The Government was not responsible for the imprisonment of Dixon or the ,non-imprisonment of the- Blackball miners. That was the result of the Courts taking their course. A vote of thaiiks and confidence was carried. CHRISTCHURCH, May 26. The Hon. J. A. -Miliar arrived trom Wellington by the s.s. Maori this morning and left for Dunedin bvthe first express. He will remain there for a week or more, delivering political addresses during his stay. On liis return the Minister will spend a couple of days in meeting several deputations that ‘are to wait on him with reference to Departmental matters, and will afterwards proceed to A\ ellingtoh for the session. “Unfortunately,” the Minister remarked to a “Truth” reporter,

•‘there appears to be a good deal of truth in the statements made by the. captain of the French ship President i'aure and others that tho depots placed on the desolate Southern islands for the relief of castaways are visited by unauthorised persons and portions of the stores stolen. It is impossible to conceive a more dastardly form of theft. Indeed, through 1 chose practices the lives -of unfortunate castaways might easily bo lost, so that the crimo assumes much graver proportions than it looks. The islands being visited necessarily so infrequently enables the practice to be carried on almost with impunity.-; i The information to hind seems to'.' show that people do visit these islands, but whether they are whalers or sealers it is difficult to say. It is almost certain that a good deal of seal poaching goes on down there.',!;;,, have given the matter a good deal of thought, and certain proposals will be placed before the Government for a more effective suxiervision of tho islands. My idea is that men should be kept permanently oil these islands under conditions which will be suggested to Parliament in due course. - ’ ‘‘The legal course in dealing with the late Auckland tramway trouble,”. said Mr. Millar, “will be fol- c lowed by, the Government. It is satisfactory to note that the trouble lias been brought to an end. I have noted that the matters in disputo are to be brought before an unofficial conciliation board, mutually appointed, and I sincerely hope the parties will be able to agree among themselves upon a. chairman without necessitating an appointment being made by the Government, as it would bo much more satisfactory if the whole board could bo constituted from among the parties concerned. This brings me to the point of the' - arbitration legislation likely to bo propounded next session. A - measure similar to that introduced last session will be placed before Parliament with certain alterations that have since been shown to be advisable. Tho main provisions, however, will ho unaltered.”