SESSION DRAWING TO A CLOSE, SAYS HON G. W. FORBES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18889, 12 October 1929, Page 7

SESSION DRAWING TO A CLOSE, SAYS HON G. W. FORBES.

important matters WILL COME UP SOON.

“Unless unexpected delays occur, I think we will be very near the close of the session at the end of this month,” said the Hon George Forbes, Minister of Lands and Agriculture, in an interview last night. Mr Forbes said that the work of the session was now going on very steadily, and good progress had been made with the passing of the Estimates, most of which were now through. Those of the Prime Minister’s Department had not yet been dealt with and they would not be brought down until Sir Joseph Ward resumed his activities, which, Mr Forbes hoped, would be some time next week. The Railway Statement would be discussed on Tuesday night, and in conjunction with it the Railway Estimates would be submitted. LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME. Referring to the Government’s legislative programme, Mr Forbes said that the Land Taxation Bill, which had met with such determined opposition from the members of the Reform Party, had still to be put through the committee stages, and this would be done when the Prime Minister resumed. The Land Bill had been passed without any serious opposition being raised, the general attitude of the members being that the matter largely depended on the spirit and determination put into its administration. While there was a fair amount of discussion on the Bill and a certain amount of delay, no serious attempt had been made to prevent its passage, and it was now before the Legislative Council. The only division that was called for was on the clause tightening up the aggregation provisions, on which the Government was challenged by the Reform Party. “As soon as the Bill is;fin9.lly passed,” said the Minister, “it is my intention to set up the advisory boards in the various districts in which there are large areas of undeveloped lands, and to get them to work as soon as possible so as to give employment .to a number of men in putting in the necessary roads. It is now recognised that in order to promote settlement roads are essential for opening up the coun try.” - Mr Forbes said that quite a number of properties had been purchased for subdivision purposes, and they would provide at least 100 new farms which would be balloted for. Separate Land Purchase Boards were being set up for the North Island and the South Island and they would accelerate the purchase of large estates. A large number of properties had been placed under offer, but in the majority of cases the land was either unsuitable for subdivision or the prices asked were too high. Steady progress, however, was being made and the Government was concentrating as much as possible on first-class land which was capable of closer settlement. The opportunities for men to take up land were now very much greater than they had been for many years past. THE ART GALLERY SITE. “The legislation providing for setting apart a new Art Gallery site in the Botanic Gardens is likely to prove contentious,” Mr Forbes said. The proposal was to insert a clause in the “Washing-Up” Bill, and as Minister of Lands he was endeavouring to get the .Christchurch members to come to some agreement as to the form of the legislation before submitting it to the House. Among the other important matters still to come before the House were the Public Works Statement and the Public Works Estimates, the Railways Authorisation Bill, which would provide for the completion of the South Island Main Trunk railway line, and the reports of the Select Committees which had been dealing with the Taupo railway and the sliding scale of wheat duties. These were all matters that would be likely to give rise to important discussions.