PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11995, 23 July 1907, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

From Our Own ' Correspondent, ,( By Telegraph). Wellington, July 22. NELSON REQUIREMENTS. Mr Grdhani has been engaged in making arrangements with the Preraier for an interview on tbe subject of local requirements between himself and Messrs Colvin and McKenzie. At present, however, the Premier has been up to bis neck, so to speak, in work and has had to defer the interview for a few days. h THE FINANCIAL DEBATE. The debate oil the Fhancial State- , ment commences to-morrow evening. Under oidinary circumstances the Leader of the Opposition would take the floor in the evening:; but he is suffering from a severe cold and may have to delegate that important duty to Mr J. Alien. * It is generally understood that the chief subject for ctebate will be the lafld question and the tariff and an interesting :lebate is anticipated. The Opposition has got the substance of the right of the freehold to existing lease in perpuetuity' lease, and so far they score, but it is apparent to anyone who studies the bill that the land| reformers have succeeded mightily in several points of detail, tihich go far to wipe out the freahold blot, if it is a blot conceded to I'he Opposition by the Government proposals; So far, the Opposition has cot ventured to express an opinion publicly on the subject, bat enquiries lead to the supposition that they are not too well pleased. The Government has given them the shadow (the freehold) and its supporters the substance. The point the renewable leases is that no more freehold is to be sold on short term leases, for land for settlement lands, po more land speculation at the ballot ; no more, cutting up of big properties to eviade the land tax, and finally, that.the owrier of a large 63---tate[shall fix his own price* both for taxation purposes and- for- the purposes of acquisitori under the Laud for Settlement Act. Barring a few flagrant Oppositionists it may be freely stated that the House is with the Government in its land proposals.