HOUSE OF REPEESENTATIVES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11809, 11 August 1900, Page 8

HOUSE OF REPEESENTATIVES

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10.

The House met at 2.30 p.m.

PAHIATUA GASWORKS.

Mr O'MEARA moved the second reading of the Pahiatua Gasworks Bill.—Carried..

MEAT EXPORT COMPANIES,

Mr HORNSBY gave notice to introduce the Meat Export- Companies' Limitation of Profits Bill.

A MESSAGE FROM THE QUEEN,

The Right Hon. Mr SEDDON read a reply from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, by order of the Queen, to the message of condolence from the House and Maori chiefs on the death of the Duke* of Edinburgh, returning the thanks of her Majesty- for the same.

Tho Dunedin Drainage' and Sewerage, Government Railways, and Public Health Bills were introduced f^nd read a first time.

PERSONAL,

Leave of absence was granted to Mr Massey for one week.

THE POMAHAKA ESTATE SETTLERS,

The Waste Lands Committee reported on the petition of settlers on the Pomahaka. estate, asking for a reduction in the rent, recommending that as the matter waa under the consideration of the Land Board they had no recommendation to make. Mr J. W. JLHOMSON said the Land Board had recommended lotting the estate in larger areas, as the sections were too small to enable the settlers to make a living, but he thought that would not meet the difficulty unless tho rents were reduced.

Mr M'NAB supported that view. Mr HORNSBY moved that the report bo referred back to tho committee, with a view to some recommendation being made to relieve the settlers.

Mr STEVENS said if the price of produce had remained at tho rate that existed at the time the sections were taken up there would ha.ye been no trouble about the'matter. He objected to tenants bcina relieved of their

obligations by a stroke of the pen, and urged that if such action were taken in this case a similar concession should be made to settlers in other part of the colony. ■ Mr It. M'-KENZIE Objected to referring the petition back to the committee. The settlers in Pomahaka were no worse off than in other districts. The agitation in connection with this matter was merely a. political one.

Mr T. MACKENZIE said it was owing to the areas being too small, and. the cost of surveying and roading being very high for that class of land, that the settlers had been unable to succeed.

Mr BENNET thought that the settlers had been made to believe they were worse off'than they really were. Still, he thought increasing the areas and lowering the rent would greatly relieve the settlers. The Mon. Mr DUNCAN said it was no use reducing the rent to settlers who had not paid any rent for years. Some of those who took up sections were not qualified to go upon the land, and that accounted for some failures.

Mr FLATMAN thought the sec tiers on Pomahaka were as well off as some on the stony parts of the Canterbury Plains. Mr M'GUIRE had much sympathy with the settlors on the estate, and hoped some relief would bo given them. Mr J. ALLEYS' hoped that in dealing with this question no such terms as eviction and confiscation would be heard.

Mr BUDDO thought the matter might very well be left in the hands of the Otago Land Board to deal with, and he deprecated .making- it a, political question. W

The PKEMIER blamed the Opposition for the dissatisfaction that existed amongst the settlers in the district, as they had made it a party cry. He believed the Slate should act reasonabl3 r, not arbitrarily, in such, cases; but if care was not taken, they would have Crown tenants making demands that would lead to endangering the success of the -settlement system of the colony. He believed the remedy lay in enlarging the size of the sections, and if the land boards did not carry out that system, the Legislature would have to step in. The reflection sought to be cast upon his late colleague, Mr John M'Kenzie, in connection with the purchase of the estate was unwarranted, and lie hoped no attempt would be made to make political capital out of it. He advised Crown tenants to steer clear of bringing party pressure to bear upon the Government in connection with the matter. He hoped that the difficulty would be satisfactorily settled in the best interests of the State and the tenants.

Mr 6'MEARA condemned the administration of the land boards for the unfair treatment of settlers. He advised the Government to take the matter in hand with a view to a' fairer system of administering the land laws.

Mr J.-W. THOMSON denied the imputation that he had stirred up strife in connection with Pomahaka. On the contrary, he had always counselled the settlers to observe moderation, and in consequence had lost political support. The Hon. Mr HALL-JONES and Mr R. THOMPSON opposed the amendment. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.