ABANDONED FOR THE SESSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2744, 17 October 1906, Page 15

ABANDONED FOR THE SESSION.

A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER

(From Our Own Correspondent )

WELLINGTON*. October 11

Froti tho daj of the introduction of the Land Bill, notwithstanding all the prophesies of the ardont .loasoholdors that it woiild go through this *ossion. I have hold to tin opini').i that tho Government would rot suc.-eod hi placing it. oven in its amoiidod form on tho Stat'ito liook th:.s s^^-non. and tho forecasts I hnvp sent yon fioin tun" to tnno received confirmation to-day. You would father from last night's telegram that tlio fate of tho bill was a'roady practically settled. To day a rumour flow through the lobbies that at a mooting of tho Cabinet, hold this morning, it had been decided to abandon the bill, and that tho fJowrnmerit would not even persevere wifch the .ictoud re.ad.mg

debate. The leaseholders were naturally very downcast at this lews, especially aftei.' all the talk about the Government " standing or falling by the bill," " pushing it through this session," " coming back after the Exhibition if necessary," and that "after the bill was introduced all othcbusjness would be left in the background until it was passed." The leaseholders think the Government has played into the hands of the enemy, especially as during "the recess the waverers in the Country party will be hardened up against the bill.

The Government, however, it is quite evident, could not trust its own party. This is clear from the fact that it ha-s not dared to call a caucus to discuss eithe~ the bill or the position that has arisen since ita introduction. When the House met this afternoon there was a particularly large attendance of members, who must have seen that coming events were casting theishadows before, for there was an air o' gloom and dejection about the Ministerial benches. Mr M'Nab, especially, seemed as if he were brooding over the premature demise of his first-born child. Some uninteresting business took up an hour or so. and then the Premier rose in his placeto make a statement regarding the Land Bill.

Sir Joseph Ward said he had informed tho House on tho second reading of tho bill that fche Go*ernment intended to put, ir. through this session if it received tho assistance of hon. members to enable it to do so. Since he made that statement representations had be<;n made by members and I others in legard to tho bill. It had been point-ed out that in consequenoe of the important issues raised in the measure. I while members wero anxious to assist th<* ! Government which they had been returned to support, as a matter of fairncee to them a.nd their constituents they should bo allowed an opportunity of explaining tho provisions of the bill and consulting th*ir constituents upon the proposals. In the light of the&? renresentatione. he felt it his duty to straightforwardly and candidly inform the House of the position. He admitted the reasonableness of the contention, and the House would recognise that it would not be possible for membere who desired to do so to consult their eonfil itu^nts whilp the Houso was sitting. Nor was there ibe necessary time to enable them to put the bill through before Monday. October 29 That date, or, at the latest, Tuesday, tho 50th, was the laat day to which tho nre^nt session could be extended From information which had been furnished to him. he was satisfied that th« 6crond reading debate would not be finished for 14 days. and po="iblv not then. — (Cries ol " He<ir. hear.") If tlwv took next Monday and a'l tho fiiiof^ec'incr Mondays, that would tAko them up to thft end of the month to got the second readimr through. Then, tr*© oimni'Hoo stag^ would take fcome wo«*l-« Tt had taken four weeks to «r«t the bill baok to th" Pfon*-* from the I.ands Committo^' on which tliTo w«ro only 14 momb"r=i. Tl'-o (piestion arose then whether or not tho House should, as an alternative, me ">t after it adjourned for the opening of tho, International Exhibition. It must bf remembered that tho present session comnionoprl much lator in tho year tiban «nua' The, quo.st-on was whether membem •hould be forced back after the EzhibMoOa