PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10436, 29 September 1911, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

By Telegraphs—Press Association.

WELLINGTON, Last Night. DIVINITY DEGREES.

In lihe Legislative Council! tin's afternoon, leave was granted the Hon. Sir G. M. O'Rorke to introduce a Bill to enable the Senate of New Zealand University to grqnt degrees in Divinity.

LAND SETTLEMENT PROPOSALS

The Hon. J. D. Ormond moved, "That this Council expresses its satisfaction with the fend settlement pro-posals-outlined in tho Financial Statement, especially that in addition to the present systems for the dispersal! of Crown lands, settlement by associations of intending settlers is to be. encouraged in conjunction with the construction of public works." The Government, he said, were projecting a railway connecting Hawke's Bay with the Bay of Plenty, and there was an opportunity for carrying out an effective scheme of settlement. Much or the land between Gisborne and Opotiki was first-class, though south of Gisborne it was not so good. Railway construction work would provide employment for settlers in the vicinity. If the Government carried out such a scheme, it would be essential that land shouM be acquired oompulsorily from Natives and European's alike. It would, of course, require a good deal of money to acquire these lands; but in the end it would be found to pay twenty fold. The acquisition should be made in advance of the railways. . This system of settlement would result in a revolution of the land settlement question, to the advantage of the Dominion as a i whole. I

The Han. Mr. K«Hy seconded the motion. He insisted that workers, and not speculators, would be given facilities to procure land. The Hon. Mr. Anstey said the ballot system was not. so much at fault as the administration of it. All sorts and conditions of people were enabled to enter the ballot. He went on further to say that no system of settlement could be successful without means of outlet. The great difficulty an the acquisition of land by* the Government was t!hat the price'askeJ was beyond the productive value, and to remedy tihis .he suggested a system of graduated land tax from £SOOO upwards, in grades of £SOOO, so as_to make it impossible for holders of large estates to retain them. The present system of taxation had not bean satisfactory, because it ivas erratic, and unjust, and consequently ineffective. If the Government adoptedsome such method, it should be followed up by a bold and comprehensive land policy.

The Hon. C. M. Luke, referring,to the defects in tihe ballot system, suggested the advantage of discriminating between old settlers and new arrivals.

The debate was adjourned and the Council rose.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

THIRD READING. The Waikomahi Park Bill was read a third time, and passed. SECOND READING. The Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Billl was read a second time.. A COUNTY BILL. The House went into Committee on the Mi. Hutt CWnty Bill. REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE. The Heathcote County Boundary, City of Christchurch Empowering, Mosgiet Borough Empowering, Awatere County, and Franklin and Manakau Counties Bills were reported from Committee. , REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE. The Ashley Sub-Division and Wai-makariri-Ashley Water Supply Board Bills were reported from Committee.