NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20073, 9 October 1920, Page 9

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

PARLIAMENT DAY BY DAY.

DOINGS in THE HOUSE.

(Special to the “ Star.”)

WELLINGTON, October 8. WHAT WILL GERMANY PAY'?

. ‘ I have not given up hop© of receiving part of our war expenditure from the Germans,said the Prime Minister, in speaking on. finance in the House. ‘‘l am not saying wo will get much, and it will not bo in cash, hut probably in bonds, bearing interest. At the Peace Conference I was willing to say that Now Zealand would he satisfied if it received enough to pay war pensions, but to pay £2,000,000 of tensions a year would mean a capital payment of £25,000,000, and I don’t expect to get more than a quarter of that.”

MR WILFORD OBJECTS TO PERSONALITIES.

The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition crossed swords in tho House when Mr Wilford was speaking on the Loan Bill. He was referring to Government purchase of estates for soldiers’ _ settlement, and said the Prime Minister boasted of 20,000 subdivisions, but when he was asked how many settlers that meant he did not answer. ■Mr Massey: “ How many settlers have yon put on your land?” ! Mr Wilford; “I don’t understand tho honourable gentleman.” Mr Massey: “Tho honourable gentleman knows perfectly well that he is a landowner.” Mr Wilford: “I leased a large block of land, if that is what you meaiy but I sold that at the beginning of the year. That' is what paid for my trip to America. lam afraid the honourable gentleman was too late with his point.” Mr Massey; “I‘hear so much from men who talk about profiteering in land, and are not above doing it themselves.”

Mr Wilford; “ That is tho general method of the honourable gentleman. When ho gets stuck for an answer ho becomes personal. But as I ain occupying an official position as • leader of this party, I cannot indulge in personalities in the same way. It does not raise the tone of the House. As I cannot follow the honourable gentleman into the domain of personalities, I propose to discuss the Bill.” Mr Massey: “Well. I hope the honourable gentleman will avoid unfair insinuations.” COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF LAND. Why ((he compulsory provisions of the Land Act, 1915, for the acquisition of, land for soldiers had 'not been applied, was inquired by Mr Wilford on the Loan Bill. He asserted there was land in the Wairarapa suitable for soldiers, and if the Government initiated a policy of compulsory acquisition Wairarapa people would compel the purchase of two blocks owned by two men without children. The Hqn D. H. Guthries "There is no necessity to take it compulsorily.” Mr Wilfordj “If one property was taken by the Government tho Wairnrapa properties I have referred to would have to be taken.”

Mr Massey j “ A most unworthy suggestion.” Tho Hon W. Nosworthyt "Would you take land from men even without children, who have made it what it is out of bush settlement?" Mr Wilford: “Yes.” He would give them sufficient for themselves. No individual should stand in tho way of settlement. That was the principle of the Lands for Settlement Act. One or two individuals should not bo allowed to hold lands against soldiers’ settlement The Hon D. H. Guthrie declared that Mr Wilford could not know what lands had been acquired in tho Wairarapa. At tho present time tho Government was going into the matter of what properties could bo compulsorily acquired there. The claims of 15,000 men had been dealt with., , At nresent over 7000 acres were awaiting reading facilities, and there were other blocks to be dealt with as soon as they had facilities. More men had been put on tho land since the war than in tho previous twenty years. It was nonsense to say they were not settling men on the land.

Mr Wilfordt “Why don’t you take more compulsorily.” The Minister: If wo did the soldiers would have to pay more.” One of the Wairarapa estates mentioned had been turned down because it could not be cut up. Altogether, 295 estates had been acquired, of an area of 487,273 acres, costing £5,253,196. Tho number of subdivisions was 1945.