Land Legislation.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 173, 2 August 1901, Page 4

Land Legislation.

A Wellington correspondent telegraphs : There is a great difference of opinion amongst the Ministerial Party on the land question. Messrs Wilford and Barclay fell foul of each other. Later on Messrs Wilford and Hornsby had a tilt at one another, and then Messrs Hogg and A. L. D. Fraser exchanged “ compliments.” The next “ Hansard ” will be' interesting reading for farmers. Mr A. L. D. Fraser, who-told the Premier ho had forgotten more about native land matters than the Premier had over learnt, rather opened the eyes of members with an earnest and vigorous denunciation of the Government' native land purchases. “ The ‘ Twelve Apostles ’ of Hawke’s Bay in the olden days wore,” lie said, “not a circumstance to the present Government. In those days the 12s an acre which they gavo for native lands was ever so much fairer a price than the 5s and 10s an acre which the Government wore now paying the natives for land that private individuals were pursuing them with offdts of £2 an aero for.” The discussion at times assumed a decidedly personal tone, and at other times the growing cleavage between the city and country members was very marked. This was emphasised by Mr Haselden, who, in his maiden speech condemned in unmeasured terms the Government laud purchase system at present in vogue, and said the lands of the pioneers were being coveted by the dwellers in the cities, who had not the courage to go into the back country and carve out homes for themselves as the early settlors had done. Mr Thomas Mackenzie was equally vigorous in regard to the provision in the Bill which would prevent the sons of a settler, iu the event of his land being taken from him, getting the share of it to Which they were entitled. These children, who had worked the land and had been brought up on it, he said, should have a prior right over men and women who had come here but yesterday, and might leavo the colony again. This provision in the Bill struck at the root of patriotism and that love of country Which was so essential to the development of a young country. Notwithstanding all this, there were men in the Government party who walked into the lobby and voted Without the slightest comprehension of what they were voting about.