LAND BILL DEBATE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1890, 27 October 1913, Page 6

LAND BILL DEBATE

AN ERRONEOUS REPORT.

The following paragraph was publish* od in tho "Sydney Morning Herald" on October 18, as a cablegram from thoir New Zealand correspondent:—

"Tlio House of Representatives, in Committee on the Land Bill, sat contiflupusly from 'Friday afternoon to midnight on Saturday. Tho Opposition stonewalled the clause proposing tor give holders of Crowii leases ill mining districts tho right to acquire tho freehold. It was admitted that a Ministor held about 1000 acres of such land.

."Tho Primo Minister {Mr. Massey) pointed out that tire clause expressly jlebftrrcd the owner of Buck land acquiring the right to minerals, but tho proposal was strenuously opposed by the leaser hold section., The debate- will be resumed on Slonday afternoon."

Of course, it is incorrect to statd that -n .Minister .hold 1000 acres of thd Hauraki land.- • It is just possible, how* ever, that the error was- niade inside the newspaper office in Sydney. . Tho corespondent would- doubtless telegraph merely "Rhodes," and this might havebeen taken to tho Hon. R. H. Rhodes, instead of Mr. T. W- Rhodesmember for Thames, who actually held tho land.