THE LAND BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 684, 8 December 1909, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

WHAT HAPPENED IN COMMITTEE. SLAUGHTERED ;AND.,THEN REPAIRED. A MEMBER-REVERSES. HIS XQ.TES;, 1 ;' The minutes with reference to the sittings, of the Lands Committee'■• on 'the- .Land; La\vs Amendment Dill 'make interesting reading. When the committee sat first of all on December 1 the following • were present :—Messrs. Anderson, Lang, Lawry, Witty, Forbes, Hogg, Hon. T. Duncan, Ell, and Sir Joseph Ward. As amendments were, made which practically, annihilated the new principle-contained'in the measures,. another: meeting- of. the committee was convened for the next day. On the second occasion it will b8 seen the damage was repaired as a result of tho presence of an. additional freeholder' and one.. of the Government members reversing, his votes. ■■'■'■ MINUTES OF FIRST MEETING.: According to the minutes of tho first meeting, Mr. Hogg moved that Clause i should bo amended to,.read. that, "Except as. provided by this Act, ordinary. Crown lands shall be disposed of on the renewable' system, instead of under the optional system": but only Mr. Forbes and himself supported the amendment, and tho clause was retained as printed.-'

• Important Amendments. • . Upon ■', a division,. Clause 5, which provides that a lesseo may purchase the fee simple of a lease in perpetuity or renewable, lease, was "rejected by 5 votes to 4, the division being:—For tho clause: Messrs. Anderson, Duncan, Lang, and Ward. Against the clause: Messrs. Ell, Forbes, Hogg, La-wry, Witty. Mr. Witty moved that the- purchase price should be tho. present instead of the original value of the land, but ho withdrew his amendment, and, upon 'a. division,.- the. clause was rejected, the, voting being-the same-as on tho previous division. . / :'

. Clause 8, which provides that unpaid'instalments should be a'first'charge on tho laud; Clauso 9, which relates to the form of title; Clause 10, providing that'the. land purchased shall be subject to interests then existing; and Clause 11, which states.'that .'the Crown, is .to receive'a proportion 0f.., the increase.', in the value'of, land purchased were also, rejected under.similar divisions. ..■;..'

, Mr.'Laug' moved that holders, of leases inperpetuity might at any time, instead of-.within two years after. the coming into opetatibn of tho Act, purchase for;cash, but the amendment was thrown out, only Messrs, Anderson, Ell, and himself supporting it.' Later, tho clause was deleted upon the following division: —For the clause: Messrs.AndeTson, ■ Duncan. Lang, and Ward. Against the clause: Messrs. Ell,' Forbes, Hogg, Lawry, and Witty. Clauses 13, 14, and .15,. which ■ provide that settlement laud may'be sold in oertiun cases, were retained, their oppononts being Messrs. Ell, Forbes, Hogg, and Witty. Messrs. Ell, -Forbes, ■ Hogg," and' Witty "also unsuccessfully opposed. Section 10, which states that; valuations aro to be ascertained by' arbitration, and Section 17, which provides that charges are, to be registered and recorded. Clause 24, which reduces the: limit of- area that may be acquired, found 'two opponents in Messrs. Anderson and , Laug. Words "Guilty of a Crimii'! Omitted. _ Mr. Lang nioved to delete sub-Clauso 3'of Section 26, which makes a person acquiring interest,in land in excess guilty of a crime ' but ■ withdrew his amendment, and upon the motion of tho Prime Minister it was agreed that.tho of.a crime" should boomitted, and the punishment increased from two years to five, years. ) Mr. Anderson moved to.'prevent the introduction of the word "lease" into Section 16 of tbe Land Act, bnt his amendment was rejected, and the clauso adopted. Mr. Lang moved that national endowment lands should.be affected,by. the Act, but the only other supporter of: tho proposal.was Mr. Anderson, and the'clauso was retained. Mr. .flitty moved: that national endowment moneys should be set: apart for primary and secondary education instead of "for the purposes of education," but Mr. Hogg was' the : only other member, who. favoured the: amendment, and tho clauso was retained upon a similar, vote.. •...-.

" TJpdn a division, Section 37, -which provides for the Tencwal of leases of small grazing runs for one r term only; was retained, the "noes" being Messrs. Andorson and Lang. It. was agreed; on tho motion ofMr. Duncan to insert a new clause,' Ha, making provision as to working and .fencing grazing or pastoral runs. - ■

Clause 45,-' which; provides' that ,a selector must be 21 years of age; had two opponents'.in' Messrs.: Anderson.:and-Lang, whilst Messrs. Anderson, Forbes, and Lang were the onlv objeitors to :an amendment, to' Section '< 105 ; of Land Act. ; ' -.. •■■.'-. . THE SECOND MEETING. \ On when tho Committee agaia met, Mr. Guthrie was also. present, and •

the Prime Minister moved that'Clauses's, 7,'-\ 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13- should be, noxt,\com. ■'..'' mittc'd for further consideration..' :'. ' ,' '/■■ Mr. Hogg: '.moved as;:;.an; amendment:': that the opinion of .the-Speaker' W|,' ! taken'•'•■• as to ,whether it was competent to recommit: :. a' Bill before 'a,select committee '• after '.'it" had, '", been dealt with and : divisions . taken on- - its '';,-.' clauses.- .-■■'.':, ;: >; ::.; : :' ; ,: '.'.-■.; '■■'■■"■.':■■■ The .Chairman ruled ' the amendment ' bnt ■;'.'•■' l of.-order,_■.•■./. ; ■/.'■■'•'•>'•.;.:';... ■.■.: : ,':,', •'. i\''S-'.'.y:.~;'?£. , .'Ufpa.'o.-division' the recommittal was:.agreed:\>! tp by .six. votes, to : four- votes,'.the .voting- boi- 1 ,ing as follows:~For tho proposal:'Messrs"An-',.', dorson, Duncan, Guthrie, Lang, Lawry,. and ' !Wnrd; against the . proposal::; Messrs. E11,V.'.-' ; Forbes, Hogg, and; Witty/, '■■;, : ~';'■ :■■',', jmnortant Clauses Roinstated.V , \. ; ;';v Mr. : Ell ..moved; that only the 'lessees .'ot''s land, held on- the-' lease, in".perpetuity;.should■:'•■',■ havo.-tlib power, to:purchase the;fco' r :;simplß ;-<; of their holdings.:' :.'\.-.,v\'.■', v '".. i .-V;:.- '■■-.■ \ : s • ,'V ■ ; The' division .was' as under:—For 'the, claries £; i as it stands :--Mcssrs.>Anderson, Duncan,'- Guth-',:. rie, Laug,.'Lawry, .and' Witty; 'against 'tho•'■!•'• | clause: Messrs. Ell, Forbes,; Hogg,: and: Witty.';-\ . Mr.-■-.■ Witty then• moved, that tho clause .;■ should 'not apply to; settlement land, but: his ■:';' amendment was rejected'.by a . similar vote,..''•>' and the clause was ■ retained; 1 '. '■:" '".„;•:": *;■■■.i - Mr.. Witty vtlion.-proposed' that .tho/purcn'ass ;:' price of his holdings' should be, the,, present;.';', instead of-the original value,. but,only| Messrs.;: „ : Ell, Forbes,;'Hogg, aiid himself, supporbd.the.:..;:? amendment,, which was; lost, : and the: olausa ' :; was ..retained.;.-: .v-' . ■ " ■ ■;•' v - ■'■)'■:.! y'^-'-'-r-.'■■'■■■Z?

Clause 11, which';providcs/.thnt /the; Crown. ' •shall-.'receive.: a ,pi-oportion of tho,increase in'-.'.-, tho value -of; land pnrohased; was retained.after •:'•,: this rejection; of ah- amendment (which:-wasY; supported by. Messrs..Ell,"Forbes, Jlogg,:andr. Witty) to. tho' 1 effect .that'.tho unimproved ;' value of tho land at the dato ,of ..;•;the ' piur>:■'.chase and not at 'tho dato. of the lease,: should'■; bo ascertained-by valuation;,;' ' '■■,:::.v.-;: ■;::--/V

■ Mr.. Ell' moved that Clause. 12 bo.'amended',■*! to provide that; holders of' lenee-in-norpetuity; ,'J land, excluding -settlement .land, might ;,'.; chase for, cash, but onlyMessrs.-Forbes, Hog K.i ! and Witty-.supported';him, and : ment was.lost.-. ':;■'■■■■':.'<■'■:":■'■ ■'/'■:. ■'^'' i . : ':-.W-\.-:; ; -;-'i ; : ■-... Basis of Purchasa Pr)w.- ! :'w. ;, : X.^ : ;■.';£•

Mr. Witty-proposed that tho, purchase, prico-* should be based on tho price (he land: Wuld ' ? fetch in the' open market:at tho time of.-tlw:";1':i sale, but his amendment was also:rejw&'d.' --tV A further amendment,was,proposcd\by: Mr. -: '!' . Witty to the effect- that iho. purchase money ': ! - should bo the"price,.ascertained under Section:' 7, plus-half of the sum; if nny.'by which'the ";' improved value 'at.'the .date of .tho.'pnrcKasß: '■ exceeds the unimproved value at the' dato* of ' v - the purchase, .and. not;at the date of the lease,:'" as proposed in the Bill, but-the clause as'it 1 ■•' stands was retained.by G. votes to 4. the votinn ' v ' ; being as under:—For the clause; Messrs. ! AnV''' ; ' . derson, Duncan,. Guthrie, Lang, Lawry, andi ; *:'l Ward; for tho amendment: Messrs.'Ell, Forbes/; Hob?, and Witty. :' ;.-,., When Clause 13 was under consideration, Mr; Witty moved that, settlement'land not classed"-'• as undeveloped land might bo disposed', of.'-by"-.: way of. renewable' lease,, and might- not -bV'-V. disposed of by salo'cf'ihe fee simple. -Messrs.'■: Ell, Forbes, -Hoirg,' and. Witty, were the'.only: vsupporters of the amendment, which :was re-' ' joctetl, and 'the clausoi' was retained 1 by a'" Similar vote. .... -.--.* ■'- -; . ■'. . ; ; ..,' : ' Upon the motion of Mr. Witty Clause 46'wns : : : - recommitted, and ho moved thnkSection: 109 ;' ? of the' Land Act ho .'amended • by. striking" out-" the word-' 5 and inserting; the -word 10, ■ but the' -v" amendment found only, two other, supporters,;"- ; . Messrs. EU and .'Hogg,, aud-the, clauso as H ■'■■■■ , stands was adopted. , ;, , ,/.:■:'•■•• . • .:,:-..;-■-

MR. LAWRY'S EXPtANATION^::^-^^ -:Mr.' Lawry, on being aukbd' if he had 'any •ox.■■'■'' planaaorutp give.for, the rom'salcf said:-. 'When it_ was proposed,by. Sir. Joseph .v Ward to recommit the clauses concerned I sup-:. ported it as a matter ofcoic'tcsy. totho Minis- ' ter. Iho other leaseholders on the committee, '■' however, opposed this, whereunon. I said, *As' ' you, havo ,bcen ; so discourteous,? I ' will vote, aeainst yovi every time."" As tlio division lists 6hovr, Mr. Lawry.was as good as his. word. .-'■ v.'. It is understood that the interesting minutesordered to be printed with the' committee's re- '• port cannot bo discussed in the .House until.'this > .Government moves t!io second reading .of tho,:; Bill, nnd this the Government is not now :ox- ■'• pected to do. A discussion oii tho minutes; once.;;, begun, would probably lead to a very, lively > and protracted debate. \ , ~v, ,;,:'

SLIGHTLY MIXED. , i( "Tho hon. member for ," Mr. Massej \ wished to allude to some remai-lcs made by II Mr. Kussell, M.l\ for Avon, but ho could not remember the constituency which ho represented. "Mr. Avon, the hon. member for Riccarlon," continued Mr. Massey, amid a perfect roar of laughter. When the merriment had subsided, Mr. Massov explained that soma Government members changed thoir designations so often that it was no wonder one sometimes got mtaed, At ono time Mr. Russell had represented Riccarlon, but now he represented Avon. Mr. Allen: Their desigua ' tions ore like their politics, (Laughter.)