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Otago Witness, Issue 2744, 17 October 1906, Page 16

■or whether some other course should be taken. It was needless for him to disguise the fact that owing "to the length of time that would be occupied by the second reading and 'the committee stages there was no possibility of getting the bill through before the 29th October. Be had been inJormed that members were very strongly opposed to coming back after the Exhibition to go on with the bill, and if they did so they would go on towards the end of November, or even to December. — (" Hear, hear.") He had hoped that, considering the liberality of the measure, members would have been able to assist to pass it this cession. But it was not expected that it would take four weeks in the Waste Lands Committee. . Honourable members would recognise that if the Land Bill was proceeded with in the snort time available no .other business could be done. That position had to be faced in connection with the matter a3 it now presented itself to the Government. In considering all the fiircumstanoes, the G^n-ernn^erar hatdf come to HtiS conclusion that r i£ wits, i?at - possible to: pass the- measure this" session, nor did it iw^ear _ possible, in view of the t f^^ : .{)^em i back" again after oggm&r-of th», Ictorna^ioJ^l J«hibitl[ba. X7iifoT^UJh&yMCumeteinces ihe ■; eSliclusag arrived $^y%~^^ 4S&&fawentj $SI& thai it was better to subrmt'tTie measure to the country during the recess, and j have if fully before tKeni next session. — 4" Hear, 'hear.") This course would give I the opportunity which had been urged, and would enable the people of the colony to | thoroughly review the measure. He was J confident that fall explanations of the bill by j Ministers and members and an examination i into it by the people of the country would j strengthen the position of the measure, and he hoped it would put members into the position of carrying it through to a successful issue next session. He had recognised during the last day or two, particularly from the varied information that had come to him in connection with such an important matter, that the time at the disposal of the House— although he had thought it might have been overcome, — and in view of the important amendments for the improvement of the bill that had been made at the instigation of the Government, would not be sufficient for them to get the bill through. If they were to take every day from now on. including Mondays, they* would be, at the very most, 13 or 14 | days over the measure, and in view of the possibility of two speeches from members on amendments, he realised that it was not possible for the Government to attempt to force the bill through with the limited time at 'its disposal. Mr Bollard: You would not be able to put it through before Christmas. Sir Joseph Ward: Well, the hon. gentleman, speaking, I presume, for the Opposition, will see the wisdom of the course I am suggesting, because we would all like to see, Mr Bollard having his Christmas dinner at home. — (Laughter.) The position had. he thought, been stated by him frankly to hon. members, and he hoped no one, not even the Leader of the Opposion, would twit the Government with attempting to recede from the position J they had taken up with regard to the bill. \ The Government had not relinquished its efforts one iota to try and put the bill ] upon the Statute Book in the interests of the people of the colony. He recognised fully the position as to the limitation of time, and the difficulty of attempting to bring back hon. members after once adjourning, and hon. members would, he thought, realise that he was following, under the oircumi=tancv3, what was the best possible course. He hoped early next week to intimate to hon. members what bills the Government was anxious to apk them to pass this session. The Public Works Statement would be brought down next week, I and if hon. members would give reasonable* assistance to the Government, he expressed the opinion that during the short rimo available for«fche work that was to be done good and useful work would vet be put upon the Statute Bcok. The Government proposed that the House should ri ccc c on SaHirday. October 27, and if members a<*si«3ted they would be ah'e to do so. Tf not. then on Monday. 29th inst , at th» latest. He merely indicated this to hon. members go that they might apply themselves systematically to the work tha.t remain«d#with a view to putting through leg:s'ation affectine the different- interests in the country.— {" Hear, hear.") Mr Mareey said the statement of the Government must have come as a very great surprise to the irajority of member* of ; the TTou<=e He did no* intend to criticise the proposal made by tho jtiovrnment. no--at present to express any opinion repaying it. He would s : mply say it was for tho Government to manage itir policy measure s in its own way. The responsibility rested with it in answering to th-e country in reeard to any course it chose to adoot. "Call on the nsxt order of the day." said Mr Speaker, and the Houee at once almost emptied itself into the lobby, andk-se than

a bare quorum remained to deal with the bills on the Order' Paper. All interest had gone out of politics for the remainder of the eeeeion.