PARLIAMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 609, 8 October 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

STRENGTHENING SUPREME COURT,

LAND BILL DEBATE.

[in* TEr/F-ORAPTT.—VKKSS association.] Wellington, Tuesday.

The Hon 3e met at 2..'30 p.m

The Indietature Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message. The Hon. Mr Herdman explained the Bill was to facilitate the business of the Court of Appeal by the appointment of two extra judges. It was proposed to split up the business of the court into two parts so as to enable the court to expedite the disposal of cases, Messra Russell, Forbes and Hanan protested against the introduction of so important a Bill without any previous notice.

Mr Hindmarsh congratulated the Government on the introductionlof the Bill. The present judges were over worked, and cases were hung up heaping up the cost to litigants. Mr Herdman said the Bill had been brought down because it was necessary to strengthen the Supreme Court bench. It was the intention of the Government to put the Bill though, but not before the Statute Revisions Committee had had an opportunity of considering it from every view point. At the present time the judges had too much to do. The extra cost would only be the salaries of two etxra judges.

The Bill was read a first time and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee.

The debate on the sceond reading of the Land Bill was resumed by Mr Okey, who defended the freehold as a powerful magnet to attract people to the land. He commended the liberal provisions of the Bill, which would greatly facilitate settlement.

Mr J. C. Thomson said the Premier was not always in favour of closer settlement and quoted Hansard to show if he had had his way the Lands for Settlement Act would never have become law. His Bill was now carrying out everything which he had so strongly condemned in 189-1. Mr Anderson; agreed that drastic legislation was necessary to break up big estates, and that legisation could only take the shape of a graduated tax, bceansa buying up estates could not go on with profit. There as not sufficient in the Bill to bring about the subdivision of first-class land. He strongly deprecated the proposal to dispense with the residential conditions. Mr McCallum attacked sub-clause 2of section 48, which, he declared gave the freehold at the original vaiue,, which he would vote against, lie was an ardent freeholder but it was not honest to the great bulk of the people of the Dominion to put a purchasing clause in existing leases.

He gave notice of amendment that no State money should be loaned to assist any settlement tenant to acquire the freehold. Mr Witty traced the concessions made to settlers by past Liberal Governments. While the names of Messrs Roileston, J. McKenzie, Seddon and Ward would be handed down as men who tried to give, settlers a chance in life, that of Mr Massey would go down as one who sold the birthright of the people. The Government had just as much right to give lessees of private lands the right to acquire the freehold. To be consistent, the freehold of national endowments should be parted with, as the freehold of settlement lands was being sold.