PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13602, 22 November 1907, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[NT TELEGRAPH.--PRESS ASSOCIATION.] I LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TiitrßSDAr. NATIVE LAND BILL. The Council met.at 2.30 p.m. The Native Land Settlement Bill was received from the House, read a first time, and immediately put forward for its second reading. The ATTORNEY-GENERAL explained the leading provisions of tho measure, and commended the work done by the Native Land Commission. He said that probably by tho time Parliament met next year between one and two million acres o.f native land would be available for European settlement, and emphasised the fact that justice had to be done to the" native race. The Bill, be thought, was tho first real step in the solution of tho perplexing Maori land problem. It provided even-handed justice for both native and European

The Hon. W. W. McCARDLE seconded the motion for the second reading. He hoped the Bill would bo passed with as little alteration as possible. The Hon. MAHUTA asked that the Bill should be allowed to stand over. . Justice should be done, end tin*. Maoris should be given an opportunity of studying the measure. Whether Maori land was occupied oi unoccupied the Government had no right to confiscate it.

The Hon. J. ANSTEY said that the Bill provided that all Maori lands were to be disposed of by the Board by publie auction or tender. He did not agree with this. Portion of the land should be offered at ballot, and nothing over a fair price asked. Then lands were to be let. for 50 years, and in that, period they would be greatly improved. The betterment would be reaped by the Maori landlord, who would haye contributed nothing to the increase in value of his land. This should not be. He regretted that there was no clause in the Bill giving tho Government power to purchase native land. He would support the Bill, notwithstanding that it had one or two defects. The Hon. W. H. TUCKER thought that the Bill was conceived in tho best interests of the Maoris themselves.

The Hon. J. RIGG said that all through the measure there was the protecting hand of the Native Minister. So long as the Ron. J. Carroll was Native Minister the natives would not suffer any injustice under tho Bill.

The Hon. J. D. ORMOND said lie was more than amazed at the manner in which the Bill had been received. It should certainly not have been persisted with this session, but should have been held over until the natives and Europeans had had an opportunity of studying its provisions. A great deal of work had yet to bo done by the Native Lands Commission, and he declared that it was absolutely impossible for it to complete its labours and do the work devolving upon it in the proper way before next session. He hoped tho European would not be made a slave to Maori landlordism, and to prevent this the bulk of the land should be disposed of on the optional svstem. The Hon. WI FERE said he had advocated from the day he first entered Parliament that, the alienation of native lands should cease. Every time that a Native Land Bill had been introduced in Parliament the Maori:-; had asked that it should be postponed. There had been too much' putting off. The people who were responsible for tho opposition to the Bill were lawyers and native land agents. By this Bill a seed had been sown which would produce a tree and fruit for the Maori. If the Bill were postponed they would be horrified to find next year that tho Maoris had parted with-another 100,000 acres. The, Bill was an excellent one, though it was not perfect. , The Council adjourned, at five p.m. The Council resumed at 7.50 p.m. . : .

MINISTER IN REPLY. ' The ATTORNEY in reply. said the speech of the Hon. Wi J ere was a vindication of the Bill, and was a complete answer to the somewhat carping criticism of the Hon. J. I). Orinqad. He was pleased at the reception accorded tiio Hill, but was sorry that Mr. Ormond was absent. In his. (Dr. Findlay's) humble opinion. Mr. Ormond had not approached the matter with a. muni capable of fair criticism. He Mas an advocate of the system of free trade is native laud, and in this position he was but a melancholy voice crying out in the wilderness. 'The records of five traffic in native land were a positive disgrace. Ho defended the CuinnuEoion. and said it was composed of men of integrity, capacity, and nuimpeackab'e character which could not be bettered by choice. The work of the Royal (Commission and the Bill had the universal support of the native people. There.wae.no injustice, and no blot, and substantial justice was being dona to the native people. The second reading was agreed to by 25 votes to 2. ;

The Bill was committed. i Clause 10 empowers the Goveraor-in-CouticH, on the .request of the Conim.U* sioner, to prohibit ail private alienation of huid ." reported on by the Commission." The ATTORNEY-GENERAL moved to , strike out the words " reported on by the Commission," with a view to inserting "of any area of native land, whether such land h»& been imported on by the. Commission or not." Speculation might he going on ahead of the Commission, and ■ lie wished to prevent any such thing taking place. ' The amendment was agreed to on the voices.

Section 5, affecting sales of native land, was also amended, on the motion of the ATTORNEY-GENERAL. The amendment provides that the purchaser of native land becomes subject to part 4 of the Lands for Settlement Act, 1907 (limitation provisions) in the same way and manner ha if the land had been alienated by 'the down.

The Hon J. ANSTEY took exception to clause 27, which provides that, leases should be put up for public auction.' The result, he said, would probably he inflated prices. • The ATTORNEY-GENERAL- said this Bill affected private estates, '/and it was the duty of the Stat* to make the beat bargain for the native owners. The clause was not altered, and the Bill was reported with amendments. The third reading was agreed to by 24 votes to 1, and the Bill was passed. The Council rose at 9.30 p.m. till 11 a.m. to-morrow.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Thursday. The House met at 11 a.m. THE GAMING BILL. The PREMIER moved the second reading of the Gaming and Lotteries Act; Amendment Bill, on which a lengthy de-. bate ensued. The motion to go into.committee was carried by 50 votes to 2. ; The House adjourned at one o'clock, and' resumed at'2.3o p.m. i CHINESE IMMIGRANTS. An amendment to the Chinese' Immigrants Restriction Act M'as brought down by Governor's message, altering the commencement of operation of the Act from March, 1908, to three months after the date of tne Royal assent to the Bill. The PREMIER explained that this was in accordance with the Constitution. ' - The amendment was agreed to on the voices. ' ■■ ' ''-\ The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. 'and resumed at 7.30 p.m. * ' . The debate on the. Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill was resumed, and continued Tip to the time of' the closing of»the telegraph office.