HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11719, 20 July 1901, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, July 19.-—The Hoose resumed at 2.30 p.m., when The Premier moved the second reading of the Land for Settlement Act Amend* merit Bill, to amend the Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, j.900. He said there was urgent need for the imme- ■ diate passage of the Bill, as negotiations which were, proceeding under the Act - were liable to be evaded by the transfer of property. Clause 3 extended the . powers of the Minister to facilitate the proper settlement of l§nj,~ and protect it ifrom injury by flood "and river .encroachment, etc.., Clause 6 made further.provisions in regard to the compulsory taking of land. Clause '6 provided that the are* of the whole of an estate shall be computed fas.' ,at the commencement of negotiating for its purchase. .Provision was made in clause' 9 for the purchase of land at auction, provided. tn4 purchase money did .not exceed the amount recommended by the Board.. Land had been lost to the Crown because of j want of provision of this kind. By clause 8 the Board was empowered in leasing land to give preference to married:-, men. with families, provided they were landless Captain Russell agreed that this was a technical measure, and he saw no reason to oppose the second reading j but he protested against the growing practice of bringing on BiU» before members had time to,carefully consider tbemV Clause 3 .contained a dangerous provision which should not be hurriedly dealt with,'and Clause 4 was; conducive to- exercise of political patronage., There should be an actual return laid before Parliament of every expense connected with the acquisi- « tion of "each estate. 'The Bill was not calculated to* increase the spirit of conciliation between the Government and the people, as unless it was amended an absentee owner could have his land taken from him before he had time to put in any objection. He sympathised with the Premier in his endeavours to.prevent the ' evasion of the Act,'but it was only reason-; able that a man should think more of his family than he did of the Crown, and in • committee he would move an amendment / increasing the area of land which the'Go- 4 vernment could net take in the case of ' married men with families. ' . ,'? / -'■ Messrs G. W. Russell anidWitheford urged the Government to push^on with _- the settlement^ of the lands.' T\ _.-~ f Mr Hogg said the hands of the Minis- .. ters r should be strengthened to enable . them to clo this. V.' ' "■ Messrs Collins, Lang, McLachlan. and Tanner also spoke, and the Hon. T, V.. Duncan then said this was only a simpleBill providing certain amendments to' make the principal Act more workable.' It would prevent tedious delays like that which liad occurred in connection. *ith the Hatuma estate, the purchase of which. should have been completed, in - six months instead of two years. He claimed that settlement .on the land was proceed--ing'as fast as was consistent with safety, and within the means available. v MrMcGuire advocated the. a.bol^Hon of the ballot system in favour of a tender system, which wouM ensure the value of the land being obtained. The debate was continued- after 'the. dinner adjournment, and was not concluded when the House rose at 10.30 p.m.