HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1894, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

"i kstmidat'b Aftebnoon Sitting. The Connoil's amendments to the Auctioneers Aot Amendment and the Taonui Branch Railway Bill were agreed to on the motion of the Premier. ETJtNiNa Sitting. LAND FOB BKTTIjKMENTS. Tbo debato on the motion for tho second reading of the Land for Settlements Bill was reßumed. Mr. Steveni approved tho Bill. Though there were many millions of acres of the North Island unoccupied, land wiia necessary in the South, and so thin Bill was required. It should apply especially to land around the centres of population. He, howover, deprecated the utterly uncalU>d-for attaoks whioh had been made on the old settlers. Sir Robert Stout congratulated 'the Minister for Lands on having improved this Bill somewhat aa compared with the Bill of last session. He approved its principle, as he accepted the principle that the State bad the right to take away private land when there was necessity for doing bo. They saw the neoessity for having smaller farma where there were now large estates. Bnt this Bill meant that the freehold in New Zealand was abolished. (ipplauße.) lie did not say this was wrong. But he did not approve the eternal lease. The only way to reserve the unearned inorement to the State was to have periodio revaluation (Applause.) This Bill also attaqked the home. There was a 1000-aore limit which was set, which might be reduoed next year to 500 and then to 150 acres. ' The -wholn training of the English race was in 'favour of the freehold tenure and the perpetuity of (ho home and family. This was attacked in this Bill. Though a man was left with 1000 acres, if he had a large family of sons they had to go elsewhere. Then the means of taking tho land w»b expenßivo and cumbrous, as the Minister would find when he went to a Court under the Fublio Works Aot. He entirely objected to the constitution of tho "Boai'd of Land Purchase Commissioners. There was no guarantee that any one of them exoopt the Commissioner of Crown Lands would know anything of land. It should not consist of Civil Servants, who were utterly dominated by the Ministry Neither should there be members of the House upon the Board. He objected entirely to the introduction cf the political element. There should be n Land Court set up, as had been done in Scotland and Ireland, whioh would aot only on sworn testimony, and the evidence at which should be r aadily accessible. The limit in thib Bill was too large. The Bill of Mr. Ballance, which was a Bill to provide lnnd for the landless, and in which the limit was fixed at 100 aores, was much preferable. This Bill should bo mcd for getting land close to oitieß, whioh could bo let in allotments of 5 to 10 aores to landless people— workmen who could make homes for themselves— and from 30 to 100 acres in the case of rural lands, thus forming improved village settlements. Ho believed the Bill unnecessary, as large owners were qcite willing to sell. Mr. Lawry considered there was no necessity for tho Bill, and it should not have been introduced while there was so muob native and Crown land unoooupied. At tho present day, however, men did not want to go into the baokwoods, as the old settlers did. Mr. H'Gowan strongly supported the Bill. Mr. O'Regan expressed decided opposition to the Bill, on the ground that the unearned increment, which Bhonld belong 1 to tho Stato, should not bo bought back wiih the money of tho people. Millions of bor- a rowed money had been spent on public' works, whioh raised the value of the land. The State had made this present to the landholders, and now was asked to buy back. Under the system of land monopoly, gridironing, sporting, and pre-emptive right, vast areas had been stolen from the people. Mr. Buick thought Mr. O'Eegan had missed the praotical part of the Bill. The State having sold the land, the only means by whioh it could fairly resume it was by purchase. In Maryborough the measure was highly necessary. Ihe member for tho district should not be on the Land Purchase Board. Mr. G. W. Russell opposed the Bill. Mr. Earnshaw opposed the Bill. The Crown should not resume lands without retaining control of them. Mr. Buchanan objected to the constitution of the Board of Land Purchase Com. miesionors. The Cheviot purchase was not the suocess olaimed. Mr. E. Thompson considered the time had not arrived for legislation of the kind. There wore larger areas in the North Island which should bo first settled. Mr. Morrison supported the Bill. It was now 12.30 p.m., and Mr. Millar pointed out that at least a dozen more ~ members desired to speak. He movod that tho dobate be adjourned. The Minister for Lands said this would jeopardise the Bill. Several members urged that another day should be devoted to the debate. The motion to adjourn was lost by 27 to 25. Messrs. Tanner, Carnell, Harris, Maslin, G. J. Smith, and Hall supported the Bill, mil Mr. Hone Heke opposed it. The House adjourned at 2.30 a.m.