THE LAND BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8446, 20 May 1907, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

By Telegraph—Press Association

ASHBURTON, May 19. The Minister of Lands addressed a meeting at Rakaia, on Saturday evening, on the Land Bill. There was a fairly large attendance, and during a speech of an hour's duration the Minister was accorded an attentive hearing. At the conclusion of the address, Mr Hardy, M.H.R., moved a vote of thanks to the Hon. Mr McNab. An amendment, "that the meeting thanks Mr McNab for the address and expresses confidence in his views and confidence in the Government he represents," was carried by a large majority. HON. R. M'NAB INTERVIEWED. By Telegraph—Press Association. ASHBURTON, May. 18. Interviewed by an Ashburton Guardian reporter the Hon. R. M'Nab said in regard to the Land Bill and Endowments:—"So few of the members absolutely oppose all endowments that I have without hesitation, even in face of continued and interrupted hostile votes declaring for option (as in* the North Island), stated that the Land Bill will be put on the statute book, and I see no reason to doubt that the endowment provisions will also be put on the statute book. There is no alteration in my views as to what is likely to happen, except that I cannot profess to indicate the exact area that the committee on the Bill will finally settle on for endowments in the Land Bill. The freehold which we offer by auctioning land and protecting tenant's improvements may not be carried, but freehold at original value will not be carried. I still believe the proposals which will prove acceptable will be our 90 p?r cent, proposals based on the original value. Time will show whether lam right. I have been astonished at members' unanimity regarding'the limitation proposals. Men who were strong against us on the area of endowments are prepared to go further than we are in limiting private estates. They have astonished me with their limits, of value or rate of graduated tax ]I think the decision of the House "on the limitation proposals will astonish many people who think tbey know what the House is going to do." Continuing, the Minister said in regard to New Plymouth by-election: "The Government lost ground there. There was a divided vote for the Liberal Party. It seems to me that it must always have that effect, when two men of standing are on one side and are both strong men. And Mr Malone was without doubt a strong man. No doubt Mr Okey would never have been the House if my Absolute Majority Bill had been on the statute-book."

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