TO THE HON W. P. REEVES. The Hon W. F. Beevea was at the Public Works Office yesterday, and from ten o'clock until 2 p.m. he met a number of deputations on matters of public interest, and also saw many persons on purely local matters. THE APPRENTICES ACT. A member of the Tailors' Union at tended, and pointed out the hardship in flicted upon journeymen by boya being brought into shops and taught the trade without being apprenticed. He said that during the last two years twenty men had been pushed out of one shop in Christ church in this manner. He asked if some amendment could not be made in the Act to make apprenticeship compulsory. Mr Beeveß promised to try and get the Act amended in this direction. CANTERBURY LIBERAL ASSOCIATION. A deputation from the Canterbury Liberal Association was introduced. Mr Ensom (the President) said that they had taken the opportunity of the Minister being in town to lay one or two matters before him. Tbe first matter was the question of the unemployed. A large number of men were out of work, and though many were being sent away by the Labour Bureau, ib was thought some means should be taken to get the men on to land within easy distance of Christ church. Could not some land be pur chased ? Mr Beeves said in order to purchase land near town they would have to revert to the compulsory clauses in the Lands for Settlement Act. The unem ployed difficulty was one of great dimen sions and required care in dealing with. Mr Ballinger asked if nothing could be done in the way of subsidising local bodies, who might utilise Borne of the surplus labour. Mr Beeves replied that that would open up a large question. If Government sub sidised one body it would have applications ! from all parts of New Zealand. The State ', farm at Waverley, which would be ready i for occupation in a few days, would take a ; number of married men who were past the prime of life, and a large number of men ', had gone to Cheviot. ■ I Mr G. W. Busßell eaid the Cheviot work could only be looked upon as temporary. What was wanted was something per<na- : nent. 