THE LAND QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 8

THE LAND QUESTION.

;■■; jik.jpnab's bill in wjilttee." . :;:; :ihe ballot probkm. / (7R.TFIMDLAY ON THE TAXATION BILL. The principal;achievement of tho Council ■yesterday! afternoon was; the. completion of the debate on the second reading of the Land and Income Assessment Bill.: , The Hon. T. Kennedy ' Macdonald ' surprised his brotherlegislators with tho unusual statement, that thb' ; Government valuations' of land, cspeciaBlly. in regard to .largo estates, are too low. Ihe Attornoy-Go'neral, replying on the debate, uttered ; a vigorous defence: of tho "15 per cent / clauso." .To those who regretted the 'abandonment of the-limitation proposals of ■ last,year he gave a 'reason' hitherto scarcely recognised; for, that action.-;., Such an interference with the laws of real estate>he said, had ; been found on, investigation to.be beset ■with difficulties .which it was almost impossible; to, overcome.; V ■'•.'., . ' ..'■•■■, i "With regard: to the, contention, that, the Bill would not increase the tax enough to / makei>,it effective'for,; "bursting-up." .purposes, the Attorney-General' promised that, if ''after a fair trial ; this proved to be tho Case, , he. would be, prepared to join in an endeavour to secure a further increaso.'

I Other business 'done !in the , Council in- : duded the passing of^the, Otaki and Porirna JBmpowaring Bill; the-first readings of ten lbcjil. Bills, which tho House had' passed on, 'Monday afternoon,' and the committal of the Suprome''Court' Practice and' Procedure, Acts •Amendment BiU, and the Bills 'of Exchange' ' !Act Amendment Bill.'; The new consolidating iFire Brigades Bill was,read a first time.

The Land Bill once again occupied the'undivided attentionof the-House, of. Representatives. , All preUminary.-business; was rdis- ■ posed of■• carry- in theafternoon,' and the j H6uso, going immediately into committee, 'proceeded to give consideratio'n to Clause'4B, (of the; Bill,"which directs that landless applicants, ore to, have pref orencq at .'ballots. : Tho clniisu passed unaltered, after an interesting 'discussion, in the courso of which the claim jjof-.'ihe city dweller wasadvocated equally ',with that of the exporiencod farm employee, or, the fanner's ran.. , .' A 'proposal to give the latter class preference received. short shrift, I tho Minister for Lands, and prominent members \ testifying : .to' the excellent settler ,tho able-bodied city man : usually, made. . The i deBirability .'ofi "'diverting, .population 'to the' i country, also entered into the discussion.. The; following clause '.(No. ,49), which L further divides the classes to whom preference is tobe given, elicited even more interesting dis- . cussion. .This is the clause principally aimed lit bachelors. ' Single men;, however,'had .warm advocates, and f certain features likely to; retard settlement in tho back country, by • thie'virtnai exdusion-of singlJa nien from the '.. ballot, haying been pointed put, .the Minister ■agreed to the .withdrawal, of the clause in and tho ; claims of mar-riei'-men\without.,chUdren ■ might,. be.-further, >'At,, the same time' ho "made'rit. , i clear' that the principle of the.'clause would ' diversion -by declaring against bachelors.; Clause 50J" whjch is l 'alsb a preference clauso— in:-this case favouring unsuccessful former applicants—was also withdrawn,, Mr. Hemes haying .shown that it, would • operate (if it could operate at all) against settlement in its present form. ■■ ' : ■' J , '-' . ;.;" .: ■ Dpringthe evening, sitting, the question of .classification of on • which the. House, 'divided'"'equally' last Friday, night',; came up. '■■'■ again.'., The' Minister admitted that the existr' vjngi system, 'as .extended-by the. merely! a temporary expedient.- Hβ hoped to ; replace \ it.' later >V: with '~ a : . more scientific - scheme. After'-this ..explanation, the sub-_ clauses' relating to the matter were adopted I on' the voices, with 'Ministerial, amendments. Tho'remaining clauses up to Clause 61b ( re-. ceived the.assent of the House, with no'im- ' portont modifications,; and at half ;.an hour. ; feft'er , midniglit the day's-work ended... . , ■■':