POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9132, 14 August 1888, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[by telegraph.—special correspondent. Wellington, Monday. THE NEW LAND ACT.

It will be remembered that some weeks ago a meeting of Canterbury members was held at the instance of Major Steward to consider the provisions of the new Land Act as affecting the Canterbury runs, the leases of which will fall in in 1800. The result was that provisions were submitted to the Government providing for the division of land into three classes instead of two, as originally proposed ; also for securing general publicity to the classification by means of supplying plans and descriptions to County Councils and Road Boards, and displaying the same at railway stations and post offices. These proposals were accepted by the Government, but in the Upper House the clause relating to publicity lias been struck out, and some alteration made in the clause prescribing the manner in which the various classes of land are to bo dealt with. Major Steward convened a meeting this morning to consider the effect of these alterations. It was stated that the Minister of Lands was willing to give an undertaking that notwithstanding the clause relating to publicity being struck off by the Council, the Lands Department would act upon the expressed wish of the House in that particular. With regard to the alteration in clause 10, Major Steward said that the use of the word "shall " in the first part of the clause had a mandatory effect, and governed the whole, and if he were right in that contention, the result would be that all lands in clause 2 (pastoral lands) capable of being worked in areas not exceeding f>ooo acres) must be dealt with under part 0 of the Land Act—that is to say, could only lie leased as pastoral runs, and that no lands included within the class could be dealt with under the perpetual lease or deferred payment system, nor could they be sold for cash. It was agreed that the matter was one which should be definitely settled, and a deputatation, consisting of Messrs. Rhodes, Perceval, and Macgretror, waited upon the Minister of Lands to represent the views of the meeting. The advice of the SolicitorGeneral was afterwards obtained, and was to the effect that the terms of the amendment in the Council left the question open to doubt. I understand a verbal amendment will be proposed by the Government, with a view of removing the difficulty. In the House to-day the Minister of Lands re-' peated the assurances already given as to giving due publicity, and the verbal amendment in the Bill of may" for " shall "in the clause above named. MILITARY, NAVAL, AND VOLUNTEER LAND BILL. Some of the Auckland members are not disposed to let the claims under this Bill drop, notwithstanding the Bill has been thrown out in the Legislative Council. Colonel Eraser asks the Defence Minister what steps the Government intend taking in view of the Military, Naval, and Volunteers Land Bill having been set aside by the Upper House. Mr. Vincent Pyke asks the Government whether, in view of the laying aside of the Bill, they will appoint a commission, as described in clause live of the measure, to inquire during the recess with a view to legislation next session.