THE LAND SILL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10542, 25 August 1910, Page 1

THE LAND SILL.

SOME MEMBERS' FORECASTS. LAST YEAR'S BILL SUGGESTED. By Telegraph. (From Our Correspondent.) Wellington, August 24. The Prime Minister's promise of a Land Bill next week has accentuated the interest in what is the foremost subject in. members' minds this session, and tlie forecasts on the Bill's contents are numerous. The Post supplies a" number of members' hazards on the subject, which suggest that- last year's proposals will be reintroduced. —An Opposition Forecast. — Mr Massey remarked that he did not care to discuss the possible provisions of the Bill. He stated, however, that it was very little use making conjectures as to what the intentions of the Government- ' really were. The Government seemed to have a difficulty in making up its mind not only on the laud question hut on almost every question that hud to be dealt with by Parliament. From his reading of the signs, he was inclined to believe that the Bill would he on the same lilies as the last one, and if it was on those lines it would have a very stormy passage in the House ol' Representatives. "There seemed to be a sort of implied threat in the Prim Minister's remarks yesterday." continued Mr Masscv, "but we are getting accustomed to that sort of thing, and we take very little notice of it."' —Views of the Radicals. Mr '!-. E. Taylor remarked that the Land Bill*"appeared as a freehold pill. "This is pure conjecture." lie .said at the outset, and added that he based his conjectures on the occurrences of , last year and the display of temper in J the House of Representatives when the last Bill was introduced. "I shall not be surprised," he declared, "to see the Bill containing provisions for the limitation of area or value on the lines of Mr M'Nab's Bill of 190,. I shall not he surprised to find seme proposal ior an increment tax, a general increment tax applying alike to Crown and pri-

vaxc liimi.s. ±l appi-m* lu uu- uuu lhv concession of the so-failed freehold as desired liy the Opposition may I".' coupled up with a proposal for a general increment tax and for limitations in value with some expectation that both the House and the country will agree to them." The ."National Endowments. — !Mr ('. Lauronsoii said that lie was not speaking by the book, but he believed that the 13111 would not interfere with national endowment hinds. In all probability it would make concessions with the f!9S) yearn leases in th" direction of giving tenants the ri-ilit to acquire the freehold on terms which would give the State some share oi tne unearned increment as a .set oft against these He ha.d. the improssion that the Covernment -would take some steps in the direction <jf taxing tin 1 unearned increment »-,! all land:', freehold or leasehold, ior the luture. 3ir i.aurenson remarked that the (>ovcrnment had to lace the fact diat any aUempt at mrograde land. legislation would be met with the severest opposition from the larger wctissn oi' liie (!overnnu nt parly. Any a-itiinpt to force such legi-.'ation thrtmjih the House v.'ouid in; ei with disaster. It couil! hedone only with tile help of the Opposition. and. if that was doue. so tar as the (Jovernnient «';i» concerned, it would write "JrimVod*' over the top of its floor. ),!r <5. \Y. Ktissfll suggested that the liiil might have a J,li;yd-Oeorge tincture. Me would ,snp])ort the iSill it it went in tile direction, outlined by him luring the speech on the Financial ■ifatenicnl. 'l itis was .somewhat Oil the iocs of ?-:r Lloyti-Uoorjie's proposals •-.c,'!:!.. ibai 3ir iJoyd-Oeorge proposed r. ie.\ the unearned increment on asle n- transfer of tin- property, while :< imposed only to profit that was nade when the property was. .sold. EDUCATION BOARDS CONFERENCE. (Per Press Association.) Wellington, August 2-i. At the Education Conference resolutions were adopted to the following •.'feet: . ... That in the records ol the cost of the ; wards' administration the Department ( be asked to revert to the system ob- ; taining lieiore 1!)03, showing in separate ] columns, the expenses of administra- , tioii and expenditure on inspectors' ] salaries and allowances. : That boards be recommended to adopt i systems of grading and classification of • teachers on a uniform basis with a view to the early formation of a- scheme tor , the whole Dominion. That provision be made for grants , sufficient to enable instruction to be given in district high schools by competent instructors. That in view of the contemplated raising of the standard of the matriculation examination, the Department lie recommended to substitute for such examination another more in consonance with the attainments of pupil teachers who have not passed their matriculation examination before the end of their second year, the passing of such examination to carry admission to a training college. That justice will not be done to tlie rural schools of tlie Dominion until a distinct cleavage is made in the classification of country and city schools and suitable regulations for instruction, examination, and promotion of pupils and for the appointment of teachers in the respective classes of schools be in-

auguratod. . . That tlio salaries of assistants m tlie secondary- departments of district high schools are insufficient., and that tlie Minister of Education he requested to have the scale amended, so as to increase such salaries. That it,is necessary, in the interests of education, that there should be some clear definition of the relations existing between the Education Department and I the Education Boards —(1) In the direc- | tion of-giving boards some power in the composition of' the syllabus; ("2) in framing regulations; and (3) as representing the people in shaping the educational policy of the Dominion. That it be a recommendation to tlie Department to establish a system | of agricultural and other technical scholarships. That it is desirable, in the interests of administration, that the boundaries of Education Boards' districts be altered and adjusted, so as to get a more uniform and suitable area, for the administration of each district.