The Daily Telegraph FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1882.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3492, 15 September 1882, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1882.

The Hon. Colonel Sir G. S. Whitmore, who, once upon a time, strange to nay, posed as a Liberal, and held the portfolio of Colonial Secretary in Sir George Grey's Administration, showed himself in his true colors this session, being animated by the most ultra Tory instincts in his opposition to the Land Bill. The Wairarapa Standard is not far wrong when it states that the Honorable Oolonel hatee, with a deadly hatred, every measure which proposes to deal liberally and in a spirit of large minded justice, with the rights and interests of the people as a whole. This new Land Act Amendment Bill, an originally framed, was a measure calculated to confer the largest benefits upon the great mass of the people. Our Southern contemporary then goes on to explain that the Bill made provision for the establishment of a leasing system in the case of Crown lande for a period of 21 years, with a perpetual right of renewal. This leasing system was intended to apply to a very large area of Crown lands, and had it been carried out in its integrity, and ou the original Urge scale contemplated, small capitalists and industrious country settlers could have acquired a fair area of land at a reasonable lease charge, without paying for the freehold of it, while their capital would have been left available to improve and cultivate their holdings. Bur, unfortunately, this just and righteous Bill, incurred the enmity of the big land-holding interests in the House of Representatives, and so it was referred to the Waste Lands Committee, which body suggested a series of amendments, materially limiting the area of land over which the leasing system should be allowed to have operation. The Mouse, to a certain extent, adopted those amendments, and then the Bill was cent to "the Lords" where Sir George Wnitmore did his to slay it outright. When a motion was proposed to go into Committee on the Bill, Sir George Whitmore moved aa an amendment " that the Bill be committed that day six months." The honorable member did not support his proposal by any very powerful logical, or convincing arguments. He characterised a most carefully and maturely considered land law scheme of reform, as being " spasmodic and speculative legislation, which was not wanted by the country." He further asserted " that there was no principle in the Bill, and that its object was to raise land revenue, not to promote land settlement. He condemned the system of leasing by tender, ab calculated to extort more rent than people could properly afford to give." After considerable discussion, the motion for the committal of the Bill was carried by a majority of three, the votes being 19 to 16. In committee on the Bill, clause 2—the first of the leasing clauses, was debated at some length, and ultimately was amended to the effect that the area to be thrown open for leasing should be reduced from one-tbird to onefifth of the agricultural land open for sale. The leasehold area was maintained at 640 acres, a motion by Captain Fraser to reduce it ty one-half beicg negatived on the Chairman's casting vote. It is fortunate that the Hon. Colonel Whitmore's attempt to shelve this Bill was defeated. The Bill, however, only escaped destruction by three votes.