NATIVE RESERVES BILL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4119, 24 August 1882, Page 2

NATIVE RESERVES BILL.

When the Native Reserves Bill is committed, Mr. Kelly is to move the following amendments :—(1): — (1) Instead of the word " Board," in clause 2, to insert the words " Waste Lands Board, in the district in which the reserve is situate." (2) To strike out the words " The Public Trust Office Act, 1872," and insert « The Land Act, 1877." (3) In section B, after "regulations," to insert, "made under the authority of this Act." (4) In section 14, strike out the words " twenty-one years," and insert "forty-two years." Also strike out words "but improvable rent obtainable," and insert " the fair market value." (5) To add the following new sub-section : It shall be a condition of every lease that a fair market value be given to the tenant at the end of his lease for improvements made on the reserve, such value to be ascertained by arbitration in the usual way.

THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

The North Island Bill has been gone through committee, but now there is a great outcry among the Auckland members of the Opposition that Major Atkinson's proviso against borrowing until the route of the North Island trunk railway has been approved and surveyed has "killed the bill." I notice that the Auckland papers strongly back this view, the force of which most people here find some difficulty in recognising. Ido know this, that the object the Government had in moving the proviso, which has raised such a pother, was to give the best possible security that the money when raised shou.d really be devoted to its proper object, and to that alone, no matter who might be in power. The loan could not possibly be floated before the beginning of next year if raised. Not a farthing of the money could be spent until it had been appropriated by Parliament. That is the case now the loan (assuming that the Bill passes its third reading and goes through the Upper House) is already authorised. That question cannot come up again next session. The question of appropriating it would have to come up next session, in any case, just as much as if it were pot. The Government hope and firmly believe they will be able to advance preparations during the recess, so as to be in a position to come down next session with a complete schedule for the authorisation of Parliament. The money can be raised at once, and will be available just as soon as if the obnoxious proviso had not been inserted, while it is hardly necessary to point out the danger attending a large sum lying idle, pending appropriation, &c. Such, I understand, to be the views of Ministers and those who voted for the proviso, and I believe that these opinions are still unchanged, so that any attempt to get the Bill re-committed to omit the proviso will probably be vain.