LANDS COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14237, 7 December 1909, Page 6

LANDS COMMITTEE MEETINGS.

WHAT TOOK PLACE THERE. In the course of his speech this afternoon Mr. Arnold pointed out that the ten members of the Lands Committee consisted of five freeholders and five leaseholders. He understood that at th© first meeting of the committee (from which Mr. Guthrie was absent) certain clauses of the Land Bill were struck out by five to four, the freeholders, in the absence of the member for Oroua, being in a minority of one. The matter, he believed, was reconsidered at another meeting, at which there was a full attendance. The clauses that had been previously struck out were then, he was informed, reinstated by six to four. According to the division at the previous meeting the voting should have been five to five, leaving the matter to be decided by the chairman's casting vote. Instead of this, however, one of the leasehold members, who originally had voted at the first meeting to strike out the clauses, had at the second meeting supported their reinstatement. It is understood that the member to whom Mr. Arnold referred is Mr. Lawry, member for Parnell.

THE LEASEHOLD CAMPAIGN. As already stated, the leaseholders propose to carry on an active platform campaign in both town and country, in opposition to the Land Bill. A start will bo made at Hastings on Friday noxt, where a public meeting will be addressed in response to an invitation from a number of Crown tenants. The shakers will be Meesre. Arnold, Han an. McLaren, M.P.'s, and the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C. ANOTHER AMENDMENT. It is understood that Mr. Russell will move an amendment traversing the Government's land policy as soon as the present amendment moved by Mr. Herries has been got out of the way. A GOVERNMENT CAUCUS. A caucus of the Government party will be held to-morrow morning, when an effort will be made to " round up" the members of the party who have recently been giving trouble. If the leaseholders attend, there should be rather a lively discussion, especially in view of Mr. Millar's speech to-day.