THE LAND BILL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 17, 15 October 1907, Page 6

THE LAND BILL.

I&EmOPMENT OrPIAKO SWAMP LANDS.

A GREAT ENTERPRISE. Tho first Monday sittings of tho Houso during tho present session were hold yesterday. Two hours in tho aftornoon were devoted to getting a pile of local Bills out' of tho way. There were eleven' 'of 'them on tho Order Paper, and tho House, after sus<' ponding tho Standing Orders; put' ten of thorn through their final stages. Tho iWaipnkurau County Bill alono was delayed through a disagreement with tho Upper House as to tho date of its coming, into operation. Sir Joseph 'Ward and tho Hon. jj. A. Millar gavo notice of several new Got{ornmont Bills. Tho evening sitting was spent in further deliberation on tho Land Bill in Committee ■Beginning with Clause 39, which deals with cultivation on certain classes of leasehold runs, the Houso spent an hour or two in discussing tho points of agricultural rather than ,of political interest. Later on, the Minister explained the new clauso inserted by tho lands Committee, with a special viow to tho cutting up and loosing of the Piako Swamp, .which tho Government has undertaken to Aram. Mr. M'Nab, in tho course 'of an • interesting statement, predicted that, as the tesult of theso operations, tho ccntro of gravity of tho flax industry would be shifted from tho Manawatu to tho Piako. Tho clause was exhaustively oriticised, and adopted without amendment. After dealing with -other clauses of loss interest. up to Clauso 47, the Houso," shortly after midnight, adjourned until this aftornoon.