HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10481, 20 October 1899, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MORNING SITTING. PUBLIC WORKS ESTIMATES. After the Telegraph Office closed, consideration of the Public Works Estimatewere co_t_iucd. They were passed unaltered, and progress w_3 reported. OTHER BUSINESS. The Millers' Hours of Labour, Pacific Cable Aut_aorkation, and Kauri Gum Industry Act Amendment Bills, were received from the Council, and read a first time. The amendments mad 9by the Council in the M_rlboro_gk High School Bill, were agreed to. On the motion of tlie PREMIER, it was decided to disagree with the amendments made by the Council in the Police Provident Fund Bill, on the ground that they would infringe the privileges of the House. The Maori Land Laws Amendment Bill was reported from the Native Affairs Committee, A motion that the Bill be com-_-*ted next day was carried by 28 to 14. The Duneiin Town Belt Road Closing Bill was set dowm for its second reading at the (next sicting. The Pharmacy Act Ame_dme_t Bill was committed and -reported without amendment, read a third time, end passed. The House rose at 3.25 a.m. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NATIVE LANDS ADMINISTRATION. The Premier, in moving the second reading oi the Maori Lands A_mm„tr_tion Bill, which had been beiore the jNative Aflairs Committee and amended, said it applied only to the North Island. It proposed a Council to administer the lands, to number six and six Europeans, vie former to be ei-joied by the native., and the latter appointed by the Government. The natives toay vest their lands in the Council, Who would be empowered to lease land, the proceeds to go to the natives. The first prinoipJe was that there __o_kl be no more of native xacd, _nd that the land should not be aldowed to remain as it is. Tiie Council may borrow from the Government money for surveying and rooding land, the State being properly safeguarded. Mr TTRkK said the objection hitherto to ail native lamd legi-_tre_ was that it had the tend_acy to restrict individual rights. Blocks of land hod been acquired by thy Government at a low price and sold at three or tour times 'the amount paid He objected to several provisions in the Bill, par-ticu-j-rly that i_ve_tiag the Council With judicial fu-ctions, wawh would only tend to heap up expense, and which should not be joined to administrative powers. Mr WI PERE advocated the passing of the Bill as it stood. Mat-tars of detail and any defects ootid 'be dealt with at a future time. C-ptain RUSSELL complained that whatever views members held respecting the merits of the Bill, the time for its introduction was most inopportune. There was no true principle of deg___tk>n underlying the Bill. He believed -that until the titles to native lands were individualised, there would be no true material progress amongst the rape. Under the Bill the cost of the - odlm___tration of lands would be greatly increased. He co_te_de_ that before a native could alienate has End. by sale or lease, •it should be proved that he possessed not less than fifty acres of _rst-c___ land or 100 of second-class land. He condemned,".the slow rate of work done by the Native Land Corts, and thought these sho-Usibe increased in number. He waa extremely anxious for the development of the natives, and contended thai the only -way to do so was to individualise the titles, and place responsibilities upon them, provided that due care was taken that the natives were not divested of all land, and thus become a charge upon the State. Mr CARROLL said where there was good land hold iv smajE numbers, he approved of the individuality of titles, as the land could bear the cost, but where the land was of .poor quality, held hy a large number, it would x_e_n ruin to such natives. The Board would stand in regaxd to the land in a similar position as the l_nd boards did with respect to 1-nd under their control. There might be defects in >U_e details ©f the Biill, but the prinoipie wars right, and he urged the House to camtrive to make it workable, and put it on the Statute Book, and t_us satisfy t_e desire of the ■na ives. He denied that the cost to natives under the Bill would be greater than at present. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.