POLITICAL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, September 25.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8087, 27 September 1894, Page 3

POLITICAL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, September 25.

Tho Govornmfnt Advancos* to Settlors Bill was furfchor considered in Committoo of tho Houso to-night. An ondoavor was mado to have tho advances confined wholly to rural proporty, but tho Troaaurer said tho lending boards should not bo too strictly bound down as to what class of proportioa wore suitable for investment, and tho proposal was negatived by 31 te 17. Mr Montgomery moved to reduce the amount which might bo raised in any ono year from a million and a half to ono million pound*!. A division on fchis resulted in a tio — 28 to 28. Tho Chairman of Committees gave his vote against tho reduction. Mr Montgomery then moved to striko out tho words "in any ono yoar," pointing out that tho effect of this would bo to authoriso tho raising of a million and a half loan instead of four and a half millions. Tho Treasurer accoptcd a compromise confining tho operations of the Bill to throo millioni* for two yoar«. Sir R. Stout moved to roduco tho rate ot intorest payable on debentures issued under tho Bill from four to threo and a half per cent. Tho Treasurer said ho believed all tho money could bo got at threo and a half, but some discretion should bo left to tho Treasurer to go higher if nccoswary. Tho discussion m proceeding. "WfiLf/iNaTON, September 20. Exceedingly slow progress is boing made by tho House in Oornmittoo on tho Government Advances to Settlors Bill. The wholo afternoon was sponc discussing the land bond fund in part 3 of the Bill. Members desired to know what thoso land bonds aro to bo. Thn Treasurer stated that they wore to be bonds which would have not only tho security of the colony, but would bo a first mortgago on tho property on which tho money raised by them was to bo advanced. It- was pointed out, however, that the Bill as framed did not specify that those bonds wore to cover a mortgage on land. Mr G. W. Russell moved to oliminato tho land bond nystom from tho Bill, contending that thn threo millions authorised to be raiacd in two years could oasily bo raised by ordinary debentures bearing interest not exceeding four por cent. His motion, however, was ncgativod by 84 to 25. Tho Council this afternoon passed tho third reading and final stages of tho Xlailways Bill and tho Shops and Shop Assistants Bill. Regarding tho lattor a conference between tho two Houses will eventuate. Some free critioism on the imperfect legislation of tho how or Houso was mado. On the motion for tho committal of tho Lands for Sottlomont Bill in the Council this afternoon Mr Stovons, Chairman of tho Wasto Lands Committoo, said tho Bill had undergone such changos at tho hands of tho Committoo that it was almost unrecognisable as the Bill sent to tho Council. Tho Committoo had endeavored to make it a workable measure Several othor members also stated that tho Bill was unworkable m it camo from tho House to the Council, and Mr Macgregor Raid ho was convinced that if tho Wasto Lands Committee had not mado tho alterations thoy did not a singlo aero of land could bo taken eompulsorily under it« provisions. Ho said this fact vim a Htriking commentary on tho manner in which such a Jill wan prepared in tho first instuncc and in which it was passed through the o'hor branch of tho Legislature. It was statod by those who spoke that though mombers of the Council generally wero opposed to to the principle of such a Bill they reoognisod that the mandate of tho country had boon expressed that sorno such measure should bo passed, and therefore had withdrawn thoir opposition. Mr Bowen, who said thcro waa too much land already in the market, und much of it in tho neighborhood of cities, intimated his intention of moving in Committee that no land bo taken compuleorily till a road board or county council had reported on its notability for settlement purposes. Mr Montgomery, in reply, admicted that the Bill camo up from tho Lower llouoo in an imperfect state, and testified to tho quod work 'lone by the Wasto Land Committee, which had really proved to the Council a useful revising body in perfecting measures. In tho Council this ovoning tho Lands for Settlement Bill was passed through committoo, Sir P. Buckley accopting tho ' amendments mado by the Wasto Lands Committee, all of which woro adopted* These principally went in tho direction of putting tho measuro in a more workable and less faulty form than It was received by tho C/Ouncil. Before tho Bill is read a third tiroo to-morrow it will bo recommitted for reconsideration of tho amendments which aro to bo proposed by Messrs Ormond and Bowen and Sir G. Whitmore. An important amendment waa mado in the Factorios Bill in Committee in tho Council to-night, clause 64 which gives all factory employees a weekly half holiday being etruck out. Mr Mucgregor, in moving in this direction, pointed out that the Bill was desired to deal with women &nd children only, and ho characterised as an excrescence this clause, which Bought to give a half-holiday also to adulb malea. Iho following is the division list : For tho clauso (17): Bolt, Swatiaon, Kerr, Rigg, Jenkinson, Foldwick; against (16): Bonar, L. Walker, Reynolds, Whitrnoro, Phauwyn, Barnicoat, Kelly, Dignan, Acland, Bowen, Ormond, Btevens, M'Gregor, Richardson, Montgomery, Buckley. Tho third roading of the Bill waft Bet down for to-morrow. The Government Advance to Settlers Bill occupied tho attention of tho House ttU night. Mr 0. Smith moved to ro u duce the maximum amount which is to be advanced nnder tho Bill from L5OOO to LlOOO. Aftor a long dificussion this waa negatived by 37 to 0, and on Mr Ricoarton Russoll's motion a subclanso was added giving applications for loans not exceeding L5OO priority over a larger amount. Mr Marsdon JPhompion moved to reduce tho margin upon which advanced might bo made from two-thivds to one-half value of property. This was negatived by,'J2 to J9, but on tho Treasurer's motion it was provided that the margin be two-thirds pn rural, and one-half on urban or puburbitn lijndn.