LAND RESOLOTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1024, 15 July 1871, Page 9

LAND RESOLOTIONS.

On the House resuming at 7 o'clocK, The order of the day for the resumption of the debate on the land resolutions submitted by Mr Bathgate on Friday evening was called on. Clauses 8 and 0 were passed. On clause 10 being proposed, Mr BATHGATE moved that the clause be amended to the extent of introducing words providing that the Board to be appointed by the Superintendent to hear and decide objections, might examine the parties and their witnesses on oath, and also providing for adjournments of 30 days. Mr BE ID, in reply to some remarks made by Mr Mervyn, stated that the Board, referred to In this clause was a

Board to hear objections, and not the Board referred to generally throughout the Bill. The latter was the W.iste Lanrla Board. The clamo was carried as amended. Mr SHEPHERD rose to move that the resolutions be considered in Committee, to enable him to again expostulate against tha attempt to raise tho ; rice of land to ' 303 per acre. The price should not exceed 20s, and a clause similar to that in the Victorian Land Act, providing that the licensees of pastoral runs should not cultivate their land except in respect of produce required for their own runs, should be introduced. Dr WEBSTER took exception to those clauses having reference to deferred payments, considering that the financial position of the province did not warrant the establishment of that system. He also said that to a certain extent he approved of the system regarding the limitation of settlement, but was not favourableto clause 13, providing that ''No person shall become the licensee of any allotment who is an infant under eighteen years," he having previously understood that a person under 21 years was an infant. He referred to Cromwell, where he said there were 300 inhabitants, and in respect to which place it was proposed to ask for a block of land of 20 000 acres for grazing purposes. That at 2s fid per acre would be L 2500. Those were endowments ; why should they not have i endowments made in all other parts of! the country in the same way I — (Hear. ) Mr REID, in reply to Mr Shepherd, stated that the Government were not proposing to raise the price of land, and submitted figures to show that the amount paid by the occupier for land, assuming ' that it was paid for within three years, would not exceed LI 2a 7d. He also explained that if those persons could not pay, they would still have the prospect of redeeming their properties by paying the annual instalments extending over a period of seven years. The Government would not object to the introduction of the Victorian clause if tho honourable member for the Dunstan specially desired it ; but they did not think it would be of much use. Regarding the clause referred to by Mr Mervyn, he denied that it had been taken from Mr Carglll's proposals, although he would not hesitate to accept anything good proposed by any honourable member. Regarding the plantation of trees, it had been thought desirable to leave in the hands of the Superintendent, and Executive Council the power to make and vary regulations, from time to time, as altered circumstancesmightrequire. The limit, hestated, was fixed, and if 320 acres was considered to be too much, it was a difficulty that could be remedied. It was desirable to encourage settlement outside as well as inside the Goldfields, and the Government had endeavoured to frame theae resolutions in a manner which would do justice to all parties. There waa certainly an objection to the system of deferred payments, if they could facilitate settlement equally as well by cash payments. He did not believe that the system of deferred payments would limit the sale of the land ; those persona -who could pay for the land at once would not come under the deferred payment system, and if the latter was not a good system, he did not see why honourable members should be afraid of it. Mr BATHGATE pointed out that there were two classes of the community who were likely to take advantage of the deferred payment system. There were those who might come here as immigrants, and wished to employ their capital in fencing and improving the land. There was another section of the community whose interest deserved consideration. He referred to those men who had risked their fortunes by coming to the province Mr TURNBULL thought it would be advisable to separate the Hundreds Regulation Act from the o'her parts of the Bill. If they did not do so, they would run the risk of getting the whole thing rejected. There were some features in the Bill which he did not think would be passed by the Assembly. For instance, he did not believe that the Assembly wo\ild entrust to the Council the privilege of declaring ! Hundreds where and when they might think proper. He denied, as stated by Mr Bathgate, that the land laws of tho province had been the cause of the depreciations and losses which had occurred during the last five years. Those depreciations and losses had arisen from totally different causes. The proposal to fix the price of land at "Os per acie was a step in the wrong direction, because notwithstanding explanations to the contrary an impression would get abroad that the price of land had been raised, and people would probably be driven out of the country. Ho did not see how the Government could raise the funds for the present year, and also pay off the debt. He further pointed out that the question of compensation to the rvmholders wag not

clearly enough defined. The Bill had a good many liberalising tendencies, and he should be glad to assist the Government to pass a Bill of a satisfactory character. Mr CUTTEN was glad to see such unanimity upon the principles of the Bill, because it was a good sign that the House would soon agree upon something which he hoped would form the foundation of a good Bill. With reference to the objection to the charge of 30s per acre upon deferred payments, he pointed out that the land would be as cheap at 303 per acre upon deferred payments as it would be at LI per acre paid at once. Further, that if honourable members treated the land fund as a source of revenue they departed from the other principle under which itwas regarded as a means of settlement. They could not have both. Some honoxirable members asked how, under these resolutions, revenue was to be provided, whilst others suggested that the price of land should be reduced. The two ideas were simply incompatible ; both ideas could not be carried out. They must make a selection between the two, or abandon the whole thing. The Government, in proposing these resolutions, had not only in view the attraction to the province of immigrants, but also the making provision for those persons who might arrive \inder the Immigration scheme of the General Government. Some objections had been raised relative to the question of survey ; the fact was, however, that when honourable members insisted upon dismissing officers in that Department to the extent of preventing the Government of the country being carried on, a remedy must be provided, and this was the remedy. Mr DRIVER said there were many features of the Bill with which he concurred, and the main objection which he entertained was that, as it appeared to him, they were about to still further complicate present difficulties. For a number of years past he had had considerable experience here and elsewhere in connection wi'h the framing and administration of the iand laws, and the more experience he had, the more he became convinced that the general feeling which now existed throughout the length and breadth of the country waß that our land system was exceedingly complicated, and that it ought to be rendered more simple and more definite. He thought that before any attempt waa made to pass resolutions like those under discussion, the whole of the existing land laws should be repealed, and in the framing of a newßill they should accept the principle which the Government had embodied in the resolutions before the House. He had not supported the disposal of the lands of the Province under a system of deferred payments, but he did think that there were circumstances under which it would be advisable to adopt that system. 30a per acre on a system of deferred payments was not too much. Any poor man whose labour was his capi'al could better ailbrd to pay 003 under that system than 20s down. He would allow land to be taken for hoiMjide settlement in any part of tho province, under the conditions imposed;, without any compensation to the runholders. He believed that the country would never be properly settled until there was established a system of frea selection by deferred payments throughout the length and breadth of the land. The best system of settling the coun ry was to let a person with money in his pocket go where and when he liked to buy land, and upon conditions as simple as it was possible to make them. He did not object so much to the principles of the Bill as to the position which it would occupy on the Statute Book of the colony. Regarding the question of compensation to the runholders, the Government had, he thought, been extremely liberal. It was about the only final part of the Bill. He would like to see a land law passed that wi uld be of advantage to the province generally ; but he feared that if the resolutions went to the Assembly as they were at present framed, disappointment would be the result. The House then went into Committee. Clauses 10 to cU inclusive xvere carried, after amendments had been made. On proceeding to consider clause 31, a motion to report progress was carried,