Land for Settlement.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 5083, 19 September 1891, Page 3

Land for Settlement.

[BY TELEGRAPH.]

(per press a.ssociatio>-.) Wellington - , September 18,

In the Legislative Council yesterday— The Hon P. Buckley moved the second reading of the Land for Settlement Bill. The Hon. Dr Pollen thought the Bill was an innocent which might well be sacrificed. He moved that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. The Hon. Mr Pharazyn opposed the Bill. He failed to see that there had been any demand for this Bill, because there was any quantity of land for all who required it. In England, where land was not to be obtained except at a large outlay, it was different. It seemed to him an extraordinary thing that land should be liable to be taken from landowners while there was other land obtainable belonging to the Crown, perhaps close by. This must inevitably have the effect of creating a feeling of insecurity, which would prove disastrous to the colony at large. The Hon. Mr Bowen failed to see for what purpose the Bill had been brought, down. It was notorious that at least half the freehold land in the colony was in the market for sale, besides which there were thousands of acres which were to be obtained from the Crown, Not the least obnoxious provision contained in the Bill was the proposal for borrowing the trust funds of the colony for the purpose of purchasing land from freeholders. He regretted he was unable to vote for the BUI. The Hon. Sir G. S. Whitmore thought the Bill hardly went far enough. Power should have been given to the Crown to compel the sale of all large estates at a valuation, payable by debentures. After further discussion, the second reading was lost by 15 to 8. -