THE REPEAL BILL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6306, 2 August 1888, Page 3

THE REPEAL BILL.

Crown and Native Lands Rating Act. [from ouk special cokbesfokdent.] WELLINGTON, August 1. The debate on the repeal of the Crown and Native Lands Act this evening has been characterised by unwonted and surprising moderation. The Premier introdued the measure in a speech that was mild to the extent of being almost apologetic. He abandoned that part of it relating to Native land altogether, and he regretted the necessity for pressing on the other part which related to Crown lands. But the fact was that he was so short of money, and times were so bad, and creditors so urgent, and so on and so on. In fact, tho Treasurer toot up the role of a polite tradesman respectfully requesting the settlement of an overdue account. He must have the ,£34.,000, but anything that could in reason be done to soothe the sufferings of the losing Counties he "was ready to do. ME SEDDON followed in the same vein. He regretted the action of his honourable friend, a gentleman who usually had the interests of the outlying districts at heart, who had himself passed the beneficent measure he wished now unhappily to repeal, owing to some fancied necessity of Finance. He vras sure that his hon friend was too clever a financier by half not to be able to get along without bleeding the Midland Counties in this cruel way. Mr Seddon and his friends did not want to be unreasonable; they were ready to take half a loaf, but if they were given no bread they must Btarve. That was to say, they would accept .£17,000 a year in lieu of .£34,000} but they could not possibly do with a penny leas. If that concession were not made, roads would be blocked, bridges would break down, ferries would be abandoned, the work of colonisation would cease, Westland would become a desert, and New Zealand be at once wholly ruined as an immediate consequence. To this effect argued Richard of Kumara for the best part of an hour, not vociferously as of yore, but roaring as gently as any Bucking dove. Whereupon rose MR BALLANCB, to compliment Richard on his moderation (at which the Premier said " hear ") and to suggest that the proposed compromise ought to be accepted* in the interests of ; settlement. Mr Ballance added much that ! was sober and weighty, in a speech of some i length, during which those hon gentleman : who had not already left the House, either proceeded to do so, or made themselves comi fortable on the benches in recumbent attitudes, perusing volumes, which, I trust were of a statistical kind. Dr Newman, and Messrs Kerr and O'Connor then spoke briefly to an inattentive audience. BY THIS TIME it had become apparent that the expected battle was not to be yet. Both sides were clearly eager for a fair settlement, and in the lobbies it was regarded as certain that the Premier would, after passing the second reading of the Bill, make such concessions as would meet the West Coasters half-way. Hence the astounding mildness of the proceedings, which, figuratively speaking, may be summed up by saying that Richard of Kumara put his head in the tiger's mouth, and was gently embraced by that usually ferocious animal. I have a notion, however, that if the compromise does not come off, claws will bo unsheathed in combat, and we shall be treated to a pretty accompaniment : of. growliDgs and readings, '