THE LAND BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13303, 9 October 1906, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

INTENTIONS OF THE OPPOSITION. PROBABLE DEVELOPMENTS. [by telegraph.— correspondent.] Wellington, Monday.. The second reading of ; the Land Bill as amended by the Lands Committee will be moved by the Minister for Lands to-mor-row evening: The leader of the Opposition will, it is understood, reply to Mr. McNab. It had been regarded as probable that Mr. Massey would table an adverse amendment, but he has not given notice of any such proceeding, and his silence is being taken as an indication, that he has no intention of challenging the Government's proposals at the present stage. "The position created through the amendment of which notice has been given by Mr. Ross (affirming the principle of the option of the freehold at the original valuation) is still being discussed, but opinions appear to bo somewhat at variance as to the extent of the advantage secured by that member in being first in the field with an amendment. .By some it is held that as Mr. Massey*has not given notice of an amendment the member for Pahiat.ua is entitled to priority in following the Minister. Others hold that this is not the case, and that Mr. Massey, being entitled by the unwritten law of custom to follow the Minister, could, if he chose, move an amendment, and thus obi tain priority over the amendment of which previous notice has been given. The Standing Orders are not clear upon this point, and consequently the issue is surrounded by some uncertainty. It is provided, however, by the Standing Orders that after an amendment has been moved and negatived, (as must happen in regard to Mr. Ross' amendment) no other amendment can be moved except as an addition to the motion, which in the present case will be, "That this Bill be read a second time." This, of course, would be a difficult method -of introducing a hostile amendment. In the ordinary course the debate on the second reading "would, occupy perhaps a fortnight, but should the supporters of the Bill decide to "sit tight," and remain silent, as has been hinted, the time may be shortened considerably. The Government, it is claimed, are sincere in their expressed determination to do their best to place the Bill on the Statute Book this session, or at least to go full steam ahead until a rock Is struck. It is admitted that the time between now and the Exhibition is too short to put the Bill through all its stages, and the probabilites of an adjournment for the opening of the Exhibition (should no " rocks" be met with), and j a resumption of work on the Bill, and other business, about the middle of November, are being freely spoken of. The New Zealand Times,, in discussing the probable developments says: —"There are three courses open to Ministers. They may determine to fight the Bill through to finality in one form or the other, or abandon the Bill for the session, or, if the forces of the Opposition appear tactically unsurmountable, they may invite a situation .which will lead to a dissolution. Circumstances and time are the strongest enemies of the Bill, for it is obvious that it cannot be passed into law in its original form, or in a form so amended as not to rob it of any of its basic principles, unless the House, after adjourning at the end of this month,, resumes in the latter end of November." r FARMERS' PROTESTS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —rEESS ASSOCIATION.] Eltham, Monday. A meeting of the Farmers' Union, held at Eltham, adopted a resolution strenuously protesting against the Land' Bill, and strongly resenting "legislation of such a confiscatory nature as that embodied in the Bill." The meeting was poorly attended. A meeting of the Hamilton branch of the Farmers' Union was held on Saturday (writes our correspondent). Mr. F. W. Lang, by special invitation, gave an address on the Land Bill. He criticised it adversely. The following resolutions were passed:—"That this meeting emphatically protests against the proposed land legislation, and considers that in drafting the Bill the Government ignored the opinions of the Land Commission and of those who make their living from the land." "That the only remedy lies in the return of members to Parliament pledged to support a farmers' land policy, irrespective of all other considerations." . •