POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2629, 11 October 1909, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

REPORTS AND RETURNS

(Special to “Times.”) WELLINGTON, October 9

An avalanche of Departmental reports and returns descended upon the table of the House yesterday, and members will require to be very diligent to get a moderate grip of their contents.

Mr. Massey proposes to ask the Minister of Education whether he is aware that by the operation of the Education Act Amendment Act of 1908, but contrary to the intention of Parliament, certain teachers have had their salaries reduced, and whether, if legislation is required, he will this session introduce an amending Bill to put the matter right. SOME “INCIDENTAL” EXPENSES. Several interesting items of expenditure are detailed in the B—l return. The following may be mentioned:— Honorarium paid to Sir Robert Stout (chairffian Native Lands Commission), £I2BO, to Mr. A. T. Ngata £709; travelling allowances for Native Lands Commission, Sir Robert Stout £SBO, Mr. A. T. Ngata £269; travelling expenses for the same gentlemen aggregated £73, and travelling allowances for the officers of the Commission £592. There is an item of £177 for translating the reports into Maori. A sum of £447 was paid to Mr. A. L. D. Fraser while acting as Native adviser to the Commission, being allowance and travelling expenses. The total cost of the Commission was £5137. A sum of £SOO was paid to Mr Joliffe for his work in connection -with the revision of the stamps. The travelling allowances of Ministers totalled £1493, and their travelling expenses £2224. Allowances and expenses of private secretaries to Ministers amounted to £1614.

A sum of £SOO was paid to the Hon. W. Hall-Jones to cover travelling expenses to London. The expenses in connection with the visit of the American fleet, not including £3500 paid to the Reception Commtitee. totalled £5760. The cost of the banquet to the Admiral and officers was £994, and the military review cost £1094. There Is also an item of £122 included in the B —l return for the album presented to President Roosevelt. An item of £294 Is charged for payment of special trains (for members of Parliament attending the visit of the fleet) on the Manawatu railway. NATIVE LANDS.

On the motion of Mr. Hogg, a return was ordered last night showing Native lands leased or otherwise disposed of during the past five years ,in the King Country, giving particulars of the land leased and sold, the names of lessees and purchasers, and payments or rentals agreed upon, also a summary of sawmilling rights argeed upon, and the terms and conditions upon which timber has been sold.

ASHBURTON AND INVERCARGILL A return presented to the House shows the total number of convictions for offences in the Ashburton electorate in 1901-2 was 230. in 1902-3 215, in 1903-4 133, and in 1904-5 1.30. The convictions for drunkenness were 88, 95, 21, and 22 in the four years;. The summonses for debt were 299 in the first year of the period. 296 in the second, 354 in the third, and> 305 in the fourth. The return relating io the Invercargill Court shows that convictions for all offences in 1904-6 numbered 810, with 29 committals, and in 1906-8 they numbered 843, with 22 committals. Convictions for drunkenness f ell_ from 313 in the first biennium to 189 in the second. During the two years after No-license came into operation there were 163 cases of drunkenness, in which the supply of liquor was traceable to sources outside the prohibition area. In one case liquor was obtained within the area. Of 941 offences of all kinds, 728 occurred within the area and 213 outside. Seventy prohibition orders were granted against persons residing in Invercargill, and 28 against persons residing outside the district.