THE LAND QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1585, 31 October 1912, Page 8

THE LAND QUESTION.

RAILWAYS BILL

The ordinary current of business in the House of Representatives was stayed for a brief period yesterday afternoon while members discussed tho prospective wind- ■' ing-up of the session. The subject was raised when Mr. J. B.' Hine, chairman of the Public Accounts ' Committee, moved that it should be granted ten days' additional in which to complete its work in connection with its inquiry into the adi- ministration of tho State Guaranteed Advances Department. Tho mention of ten days seemed to make some members uneasy,/even when it was explained that ithe Committee had already exceeded its 'previous commission and that the extension woald only allow it to continue its .work .until Tuesday nest. ■ i In the course of a general discussion which arose, Mr. G. W. Russell said that there would be no obstruction if tho Government elected to. finish the session on Saturday next or early next Mr. said • that he .was willing to stop Mr/one month or oven for 1 three months in order to complete the work of the session. This view of the matter was warm--1 attacked'by several country members, ■who frankly voiced their anxiety to get . homo as-soon as possible. . The Prime Minister made a statement ■regarding the work which the Government intended to put through, and coni. eluded by'inviting members to forego the ■usual Wednesday discussion. on questions. '■ Tliis-proposal was.received with favour by the Opposition, and when Mr. Veitch moved the adjournment of tho House (the I .motion that ordinarily precedes a discussion on questions) not-a'single, member : rose,to support'the : proposal; .Tho occurxcnco is said' to be almost unprecedented " in the" history of the House. Although it began, the day in this manner, tho House did not show any great inclinationj to proceed rapidly w.ith the • business in ha-nd. When; two small Bills, the Kaiapoi Reserve Bill and tho East Coast Native "Trust Lands Amendment Bill, had been read a third time, members ■ (principally. Opposition members) opened j a!discussion, on tho third reading of the j Government Railways Amendment Bill, ; which t.Ook up the greater part of tho afternoon and two hours in tho evening. ; M6st of: the ground'traversed in tho. discussion'had been gone over on the previous day and night,'."when the Bill was dis- ! crissed' exhaustively, generally and in de-tails'-Divisions-were taken on a number of amendments yesterday, but the Opposition allowed tho third reading of the Bill to go on tho voices. , Just beforo tne adjournment at 11.80 the Education Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor's Message, read a second time pro forma, and referred to the EduV cation Committee. •• , - Amendments to the Defence Amendv ment Bill, giving the Government fuller * power in dealing with drill halls and similar properties formerly owned by volunteer companies wero introduced by Governor's Message. The following Bills were considered in committee, and read a third time:—Public ; Revenues Amendment Bill, Savings Bank Amendment Bill, Local Bodies Loans ; Amendment Bill, Cemeteries Amendment Bill, .Marriage Amendment Bill, and Aged and Infirm Porsons Protection Bill. The Legislative Council sat vasterday Tin til 11.15 p.m. The Land Bill was returned from the Lands Committee,' to >—•_ which body, it had been referred on the ' previous day, after being read a scoond time pro forma. After a general diseussion, which lasted until after eleven o'clock, the Bill was committed without a division. Progress was reported immediately afterwards, and the Council rose,

DISCUSSED BY LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

ANIMATED DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.