SMALL FARMS BILL

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1940, Page 9

SMALL FARMS BILL

PASSED BY HOUSE ' WARNING AGAINST VIOLENCE [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, November 29. Urgency was granted the passing of the Small Farms Amendment Bill, Mr Fraser, in asking for urgency, remarking that this measure had occupied more time of the House than any other, for a considerable period. Mr. Polson: It is a very important measure. .. Mr. Fraser: Yes, certainly, it is very important. The discussion then proceeded on the committee stages of the Bill. The first amendment was moved by Mr. Polson, on Clause Two of the Bill, when he moved that the words “in the present war” be struck out, thus making the Act applicable to all men who served in the forces. The amendment was rejected, by 42 to 19. Mr Bodkin moved a further amendment to Clause Two, seeking to enlarge the definition of land, providing that it should include the land of any soldier or his dependant, or land in which a soldier had an interest. In view of the proposed amendment to be moved by the Minister, t,o Clause Four of the Bill, consideration of Clause Two was held over until Clause Four had been considered. An amendment to Clause Three was moved by Mr. Gordon, that the application of discharged soldiers for land should include fee simple or leases, thus enabling the soldiers to secure freehold tenure, if they so desired. Discussion on Mr. Gordon’s amendment to Clause Three was still continuing at the luncheon adjournment. On resumption, the debate was confined mostly to points which had been well covered during the second reading debate. In all twelve divisions were forced by the Opposition during the afternoon, and in every case the Government had a satisfactory majority. Only one amendment to the Bill was moved by the Government. The Minister of Lands (Mr. Langstone), moved an amendment to clause four to the effect taht the lands of persons absent from New Zealand with the Armed Forces shall not be taken. This amendment was passed on the voices.

The principal opposition was shown to clause four of the Bill, which gives power to take the land for the settlement of discharged soldiers, and clause eight, which deals with the matter of compensation. Four amendments were moved to clause four and a division was forced on the whole clause, which was eventually passed with the Ministerial amendment above referred to, by 40 votes to 18. This vote was a fair indication of the average of the votings on the different amendments throughout the day. Three amendments were also moved to clause eight, an effort being made by the Opposition to insert a provision that compensation should be paid for. land which was within a reasonable price of the market value of the land.

PREMIER’S ADMISSION When clause nine, which provides that a Magistrate and two assessors shall constitute the Compensation Court, was under consideration, Mr. F. W. Doidge (Nat., Tauranga), moved that a Judge of the Supreme Court be substituted for the word “Magistrate” . whenever it occurred. He declared that a farmer under the Bill had lost the right of freehold, and now he was to lose his previous right of going to the Supreme Court if he thought he was not getting a square deal. The Prime Minister (Mr. P. Fraser) stated that the Government would frankly admit that the departure made in the clause was an experiment but it also felt that no injustice would be done. If an injustice were done, he would undertake to alter the method. If the experiment did not work, and there were possibilities of injustice, the Government was prepared to amend it. Mr. Fraser also referred to talk outside the House of violence, or threats of violence over opposition to the Bill, declaring that whether these threats were made by Members of the House or others, these expressions would be scrutinised by law officers. The people were entitled to express themselves freely and forcibly, said Mr. Fraser, but some of the remarks that had been made at these meetings came very near the borderline. Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Otago Central), suggested that the most disturbing statement came from the Government Member for New Plymouth (Mr. F. L. Frost), who had told the House that it was, part of a scheme for the .conscription of man-power and wealth. An injustice, he contended could only be proved in a judicial way by evidence. The amendment moved by Mr. Doidge was lost on a division by 36 votes to 16, and a similar amendment he moved on the next clause was lost on the voices, All remaining clauses of the Bill and schedules were adopted without division and the Bill was reported to the House. The motion for the third reading was challenged by the Opposition and a division taken without discussion, the Bill being passed by 36 votes to. 16.