SETTLING THE LAND.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2217, 1 August 1914, Page 3

SETTLING THE LAND.

PRIME MINISTER REPLIES TO CRITICISM. TAP© STRIDES. MADE. Licensing bill amended. , The Legislative Council mot, at, 2.30 p.m. v y The Fruit-preserving Industry Amcndtaent Bill was road s Becond time," pro forma, and referred to tho Agricultural Committee. - . t

.: The Local Elections and Polls Amendment'. Bill;' and : the Harbour. .Amendment Bill, were,.road a eecond , time, : pro forma, and refeVied'to-the.Statutes Keyision; Committee. "•■ - ■ ' ■ , : . The' 1 Victoria ;. College : ,. ;! Amendment Bill was read a second;time; pro* forma, and referred.' to the Education'' Committee.. ' : ■; -i'. ■■'~-.: ■■■ ■', v'.- ':■'■■'; ".-' '■■ -' ':)- The Imprieonment for, Debt Limitation Bill was'read aiiirst.time. .V • ..";■-■ FOREST RESERVES. ; ■ The Hon.; SJLK WILLIAM 'JONES resumed the adjourned debate on the motion ; that,the Land Commit-' tee- saw no objection : tb;'the proposal to withdraw 131 acres in' the Otamatea .'County, Auoklaud, from .reservation under the,State,Forests :Act., He.said that (be had had an opportunity' of seeing the) papers connected with- the area,, and found that it was a portion ' of a. small reserve' of afow hundred, acres. : There was no fear of reaggregation, for all the surroundine holdings were, -from sixty or seventy acres to 150 acres.'. Now that they had received further information, ho saw no, objection,, to allowing "the motion to pass.' ' ■ '. ■'.?.'".:■ :. The Hon. (i. JONES rose to speak on the motion, but was-prevented from doing so, he having already epoken on the subject. "I am very sorry," he/ said; "for I have some information .which will be exceedingly; useful '/to the Council. 'The. motion was passed. ; . . . : Ata later stage the.Hon. G. Jones gave notice that - next sitting day he .would move: "That the existing methods,of cancelling National-reserves be amended, ,60 that more ample consideration shall be given to such pro- ;.-, y .■■;■:•. ■'-.■■; ..• : The Hon. S. T. George: And a very good motion, too/ '.■' . The Council rose at 2.40 p.m. till 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday.