THE LAND BILL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 9, 5 October 1907, Page 8

THE LAND BILL.

: ; DEBATE. W^ : M: ".;A:i,CNG;sinp. '..--\V -;';':;:;: - ?Thd;L'egislativ6 Council sat forjust v .\ ;:..'• 15 minutes' yesterday. Tho Hon. W. ,••'.- Beehan sought to show why the Courts. ,:.,' 'of tho Dominion should seek to reform ~::- inebriates,by causing them to sign the :.;;■/■;: ■ pledgo and threatening . them with ' . p- ,-; Bevero -punishmont. for any further ';. ; ': ; : .,.'offerice. : .Thd :Attorrioy-General :iriti- .:;,', mated, in reply, that the prohibition' .::':' :; 'order. ; and . tho i Habitual' - Drunkards .';'/: !Act were'moro effective than> the com-' ;;:',;■:;• .p'ulsorily signed,pledgo, and that"the' ;':..: Government: did not_ propose'. ; tov; atr '.v ::/ tempt any irinoyStions in' this, matter.". ;;'.;:'•': -Two new. Government measures, .the.: ;';.;: Bills of Exchange Bill, and tho Judi- '• r,:: biary Bill (which provides for tho .■■'■;';'■"■:jition of District.Conrts, and tho crea;.''!,i'iCion of'judicial districts for Supreme ; ; ; -i Court work), were read,a first time.- '::■'.■ ' j.The | long-suspended .debate :on .the; : : (Wellington. Hospital site .question was i-V;: frp'in".the Order. Paper;, \\.:> ;'.. •;:^::'■•-:■'ln '.tho;'House . of ~ j |he' debato on' the Land Bill dragged \h P.': ■ Ihrongh, the afternoon' and. evening,., i ■'■■{;:'.k jand linto/iithe, ;night.,' ■:'..Members.: ':;•':- jgenerally of ihayjij :y- in'g4ieir views recorded, and with very V; '-few exceptions talked put their full. '';if : . : "ihalHiour. ; Tho Hon.; T. Y, ; Duncan, : -.,;';; ; iBS-Minister of .Lands,' .'treated •'". the '.;.'•'•:■";!'Eousei. to a conversational: discourse;; \ ■'; v.jtrhich',' from his reference to past land >.l;'-:.v administration and. personal experi-&'?.--'-'eices as. Miidster for Lands,, proved,. .;'.' - fcteresting; In the : evening the'de:i;ki; $ning'.of socialism entered; largely :.;;:•'';. into tho speeches, and in one or two • v i,'. .'ifeasea tho debating'was of a vigorous ■:-y' ;. fcharacter. A stonewall in the com-' Siky/imttee stageS'Waa 'foreshadowed by ;;'•;|Ux. Lang on the to use the ■;.;. ~-'.. taxing yalnatipn■ as the. basis of;com-, . - ;; jiensataon in the compulsory acquisi- ■':.-.">:. -■-.- Itipn of estates. As tho night woro on -.'•;';.-.1. jnembers sought extonded ease inthoir ' ;.;: cushions, and several slept. Thedo-..;;''-■-bate was still;', proceeding when;wo -A irent tq'-press?■">'-;.';; ; ■":":.'.