PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY.

Tho activities of tho Opposition party in the House of Representatives were again directed yesterday to tho objeot of reducing the rate of progress to a minimum. The afternoon was spent in an antioipatory discussion upon the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill. At night three hours were frittered away upon one clauso in tho Land Bill, It was current talk , about tho lobbies during tho day that the Houso would sit all night. When the House mot in tho afternoon there was another reference to tho epidemic in Hawke'a Bay. .Inconsistences by tho Health authorities in enforcing tho quarantine regulations were alleged by Mr. H. M. Campbell. Tho i Hon. R. H. Rhodes replied to a question that some doubt existed as to whether tho case reported at Paki Paki was ono of smallpox, and that tho Chief Health Officer (Dr. Valintino) had gone to investigate the matter on the spot. Last evening the Minister was advised by tho Chief Health Officer that the case reported at Te Haulto was not one of smallpox. News has not yot oomo through about tho Paki Paki case.

Tho Native Land Bill was introduced by Governor's Message at 2.40 p.m., and its provisions were explained by the Hon. W. H. Herries. Tho discussion that ' followed lasted until 6.20 p.m. Thero was a good deal of wrangling regarding tho respective rights of Natives and Europeans. Tho Minister stated-that tho object ho had in view was to put the Crown at least upon an equality with the speculator in acquiring Native land. He had no intention, he said, of compelling Maori owners to sell.

Just before adjourning at 5.80 p.m. the House wont into Committee upon the Land Bill. When work was resumed at 7.30 p.m. four clauses were put through in ten minutes, but tho next one, Clause 18, which provides, that town residents may select Crown lands without being required to reside upon thorn, for a time, provided they carry out double improvements and put a substitute in residence, was talked about until 11.30 p.m., when it waß approved on a division by 33 votes to 28. In part the discussion was serious, but some of the talk was obviously frivolous, and more of it consisted of very dull repetitions. Steady though not rapid' progress was mado afterwards, and half a dozen clauses were 3ealt with during tho next hour. One clause, relating to the esohange of National Endowment and Crown lands, tho Prime Minister agreed to strike out. , The slow rato of progress was sufficiently accounted for bv the tired state to which members had been reduced by tho wearisome proceedings of the obstruction period. At 0.30 a.m. there was another hold-up, tho bono of contention this time being a clause granting the right to acquire tho fee-simple of lands in the Hauraki mining district. The House was still sitting whan wo went to press. The Legislative Council sat for half an hour dealing with two uncontentious Bills. The Land Transfer Amendment Bill was put through Committee, and read a third time, and the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill was committed and reported with amendments. . On the motion of the Hon. H. D. 8011, the Public Trust Amendment Bill was referred back to the Statutes Revision Committee for furthor consideration. :