LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 262, 2 November 1907, Page 7

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Endowment Bill was received from the Hoose and lead a first time. ! Tbe Town Districts Act Amendment Bill ■roa.s read a second time. LAND LEGISLATION. The debate on the second reading - of the Land Bill was resumed by the Hon. J. Anstey, who said that the 'bill -was the most important step forward since the introduction of the Land for Settlement Act of 1532. The tenant was to have his rights conserved and his improvements secured to him. The main recommendations of the Land Commission hacl been embodied in the bill. Holders of pastoral and grazing leases should have tie right of renewal just the same as any atlter Crown tenant. He could not understand why this right was not conceded m the bill. In regard to the 60 years' lease for ordinary Crown lands, he did not think the renewal lease for. the second period should be more than 33-years; The Hon. J. D. Ormond desired to say something-about the speech delivered by the Attorney : General. He objected to the statement that the history of the land legislation of this country was largely one of failure and intrigue. The man who established Liberalism in this country (Sir Gsorge Grej) was condemned. It was under Sir George Grey's regulations that most of the land had been disposed of. He challenged anyone to produce an instance in the 50 years' political history preceding , the advent of the j Liberal Government in IS&2 that would, j compare with the utterly ruinous conse- ■ quences of the lease in perpetuity. He f also condemned the ballot, and the gros3 I gambling it had fostered. " So far as the j bill itself was concerned, he entirely disagreed with it in many respects. He was a freeholder, and he wanted to see freeholders in this country. I

The Hon. G. Jones, resuming the debate on the Land Bill, said no Government had done so much for the farmer ag the Liberal Government. He spoke of the manner in which large tracts of land had been acquired from the natives in the early days.

The Hons. J. Marshall, A. Baldey, W. Beehan, and C M. Luke also approved of the bill.

The debate v-.-; adjourned at 9.20 p.m., when the Couacii rose.