THE LAND BILL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1581, 26 October 1912, Page 6

THE LAND BILL.

FINAL COMMITTEE STAGES. FKEEHOLD CLAUSES DISCUSSED. The House went into committee on the Lnnd Laws Amendment Bill at 8.15 p.m. Two clauses only of the Bill remained to be discussed. Clauso 30 makes possible tho sale of the fee simplo of settlement lands acquired in future, or already acquired, but not yet selected. Clause 31 proposes to allow tenants of renewablo leases of settlement lands to acquire tho freehold.

Mr. H. G. ELL (Christchurch South) opposed Clause 30, saying that the leasehold tenure was quite satisfactory to the tenant, and a good one for the State. A division was taken on Clause 30 at once, and tho clause was agreed to by 47 votes to 20.

The Hon. W. F. MASSEY (Primo Minister) moved to delete Clauso 31, and to insert a new, better-drawn clauso to have exactly the sanio effect. Mr. J. Payno, Mr. H. G. Ell, and Mr. G. Laurenson all protested against the passing of tho clause. Mr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) said ho oould not understand why preference in tho matter of granting tho freehold should be given to holders of special classes of land, and withheld from others. Ho was not opposed to the grant of the freehold of L.I.P; lands, because the State had already, to all intents and purposes, alienated this land, but in the renewable loase wo had an ideal tenure. He had never known a grosser case of inconsistency than this of giving tho freehold to some tenants and not to others. Ho condemned the surrender of this settlement land by the State, and said it was not justifiable on any grounds. Tho Reason Why. Tho Hon. W. P. MASSEY (Prime Minister) saiu there were reasons for tho apparent inconsistencies in tho Bill. The reason why ronewnblo lease tenants on Crown lands were not being given tho freehold was hecauso all renowablo lease Crown lands were endowment lands. Tho mere fact of a man taking up a renewable. lease on Crown hinds made tho land endowment I land. Another reason for delaying the grouting of tho freehold to Tj.I.P. touantn l of *ettlfimettt lands was that he knew, is

could not get everything through at once. Next year these tenants would be provided for under another Bill. The Bill, ho said, would make things better for tho thousands of peoplo on the land, and it must bo bettor for the Stato.

Mr. G. WITTY (Riccarton) opposed tho clauso.

Mr. G. W. RUSSELL (Avon) thought the Government should never alienate any land onco. acquired. It should remain tho property of the State for all time. He asked the Prime Minister whether he would allow all' holders of renewable leases to acquire tho freehold, and whether it was proposed only to make this apply to land for settlement land. The Hon. W. F. MASSEY said he could not grant the freehold to tenants of certain Crown land. In the first working week of tho session he had pledged himself that no legislation would be introduced to alienate endowment land. lie explained in detail the actuarial calculations on which tho proposals in the Bill for the sale of tho freehold were based, and sought to show that they wero fair to the farmer and fair to the State.

Mr. J. ROBERTSON (Otaki) said that the policy of which the proposal in this clauso was an integral feature was one of expediency. It might stand for the present, but instead of settling the land problem it would create a big land problem for the future. Qualified Approval. Mr. W. D. S. MACDONALD (Bay of Plenty) said that in giving these tenants the right to purchase their lands, the State would not give them any great benefit. Ho would support the freehold proposals in tho Bill, but was not going to 6ay that the past system of leaseholds had been hard on settlers. Indeed, ho believed that they would make less money as freeholders than they had done in the past.

At 11.85 p.m. discussion slackened a little, and thero seemed a prospect that Clause 31 would be read a second time without more ado. As the chairman was putting the question, however, Mr. Ell rose with tho remark: "This matter is far too important to be allowed to go through at twenty-five minutes to twelve." He followed this up by speaking for the full alloted time of ton minutes in criticism of what he described as "the radical proposals of a Conservative Government."

■Mr. J. HAN AN (Invercargil!) said that at one time tho Minister for Finance had expressed tho opinion that if a new capital city wero established in New Zealand, the land within its limits should be Stato leasehold. Mr. Hanan reproached the member for Christchurch North wuh letting the Bill go through without raising his voice in opposition.

Mr. Isitt said he was waiting for the third reading. Mr. Hanan said he was sorry that Labour members had not protested mote vigorously against the Bill.

Mr. H. ATMORE (Nelson) retorted upon tho protesting leaseholders. Ho that sinco the State always retained the right to tax land, it was a lot of pifflo to talk about alienating the heritage of the people. Later on he said that the leaseholders, who were an insignificant mii.ority, had talked a great deal more than the freeholders. The Clause Passed. A division was called on the clause- at 0.5 a.m., and the new clause was read a second timo by 44 votes to IG. Ayes (44): Allen, Anderson, Atmore, Bell, J. Bollard, E. F. Bollard, Bradney, Buchanan, Buick, Buxton, Clark, Coates, Dickson, Escott, Fisher, Fraser, Glover, Guthrie, Harris, Herdman, Herries, Hine, Hunter, Macdonald, Malcolm, Mander, Massey, E. Newman, Nosworthy, Okev, Pomare, ■ Reed, E. H. Rhodes, T. W. Rhodes, Scott, E. W. Smith, F. H. Smith, Statham. Sykes, Q. M. Thomson, J. C. Thomson, Wilkinson, Wilson, Young. Noes (16): Carroll, Craigio, Davey, Forbes, Hanan, Isitt, Laurenson, M'Callum, Payne, Rangikiroa, Robertson, Russell, Seddon, Sidey, Veitch, and Witty. Pairs: Ayes.—Pearce and Lee. Noes.—Hindmarsh and A. K. Newman.. Mr. R. M'CALLUM (Wairau) moved an amendment to make the clause prospective merely in effect, and not retrospective. The amendment was rejected by 42 votes to 16. The viito to incorporate the clause in the Bill was taken on the voices. New Clauses. A new clause was inserted in the Bill providing for the settlement of kauri gum lands. Two now sub-clauses were added to Clause 8 providing that in cases where the payment .of rent has been postponed tho amount of rent paid shall be liable to interest at the rate of 4 per cent and principal and interest be a charge on tile land to take priority over all existing or subsequent mortgages, charges, or oiher incumbrances. On an application for the transfer of the lease the board may before approving the transfer make it a condition of the transfer that the amount of the charge or any part thereof shall bo paid.

Another new sub-clause is added to Clause 3 making it obligatory that all moneys accruing from the sale of any Crown lands shall bo paid into the Lands for Settlement Account and not into tho Consolidated Fund.

Mr. T. H. DA VET (Christchurch East) moved to amend Section 109 of the principal Act. This section provides that any Crown tenant who disposes of his allotment by way of assignment or sublease is disqualified for five- years from taking part in any land ballot. Mr. Davey proposed to make the disqualification for all time. Mr. G. Witty had a proposition that the disqualification should be for ten years, and the Prime Minister offered to accept an amendment making the term seven years. \Mr. Davey pressed his amendment, which was defeated by 39 rotes (o U. Mr. Witty's clause, amended to conform with the Prime Minister's suggestion, was I then inserted in the Bill. , Landless Applicants. ' Mr. 1\ BUXTON (Temuka) moved to ! amend the definition of a. landless applicant for the purpose of preference at land ' ballots. He proposed that a man should be deemed to be landless who is the owner of land which, in the opinion of the Land Board Is oi an area' insufficient to.maintain himself and his family, if ho "undertakes to transfer such land to some other landless person before ho is put into possession of the land for which he is nn applicant. The Hon. W. F. MASSEY accepted the proposal, but said the clause would have to be re-drafted. On the understanding that this would be done, the clause was inserted in the Bill. • An amendment, proposed by Mr. Davey, empowering the Minister for Lands to notify owners that they must subdivide their estates, and in the event of their not doing so to compulsorily acquire the land, was rejected on the voices. A number of minor amendments were rapidly dealt with. An amendment giving lessees on the occupation-with-right-ot'-purchase tenure the right to acquire the freehold at any time after six years, instead of rcii years, was agreed to on the voices. The Bill was reported with amendments at 1.38 a.m., and Mr. Massey returned to his place amidst loud applause from his supporters. The Prime Minister said that he would ■not lake the third reading of the Land Bill until Tuesday. Public Service BUI, The Hon, A. L. HERDMAN asked whether the Hojso "vould agree to approve the amendments made by the Legislati,'e Council in tho Public Service Bill. Oppositionists protested, ond several of them stated that there would be no discussion if the Bill came up on Monday. Mr. Hordman accepted this assurance and did not press his proposal. Tho House roso at 1.15 a.m.