PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 70, 1 December 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

1 PEE UN ITKT) PRESS ASSOOIJtTIOjT.I Wellington, November 29. I In the Legislative Council, I The revised contract of the Midland j Railway Company, as sent down from ! I the House, was considered. I Sir Frederick Whitaker moved that j the Council concur in the propositions. I He considered that the interests of the colony would be conserved by the new contract. , , The Hon Mr Waterhouse moved that the matter be referred to a select I committee, with a view to obtain legal opinion as to whether clause 3 would absolve the colony from any future i claims for compensation. After some further discussion the I debate was adjourned till the next j day, and the Council rose. I In the House of Representatives, Replying to questions, it was stated that a reduction in future Judges' salaries would receive consideration with the retrenchment proposals. That the intentions of the Government with respect to the North Island Main Trunk Line would be explained in the Public Works Statement. Proposals relating to the Permanent Artillery and Volunteer Force would be explained in the Defence Estimates. The Hon Mr Richardson moved the second reading of the Land Act Amendment Bill, which he explained was brought in by the Government to meet the necessities of the colony in. regard to land settlement. At present there were fourteen million acres of open and six of bush land available for settlement, but latterly the law had been so administered as to discourage cash purchases, and a mistake had been made in placing people on the land without capital of any kind. To these causes he thought many of the unemployed were due. The four principal features of the Bill were— That the choice of tenure was to be left to the selector, the land was to be classified, the abolition of Land Boards, and relief to existing settlers. From a monetary point of view the perpetual lease system was probably the best, but it was completely overshadowed by a desire to secure the freeholds. Not more than 640 acres of first-class and 2000 second-class land could be purchased, and this would. avert the possibility of large holdings. . The Bill also dealt with land belonging to endowed bodies. ' Mr Valentine was satisfied with the Bill as a whole, which reflected great credit on the Minister of Lands. Mr Buchanan also congratulated the Hon. Mr Richardson on his work, and prophesied that it would meet with general acceptance throughout the colony. Sir Julius Yogel thought the Land Bill meant neither more nor less than the forced sale of Crown Lands, and would tend to uurease rather than diminish the size of holdings, and would be a very severe graduated land tax. Mr Fisher quoted Sir Julius Vogel's Ashbur ton's speech to show that he had changed his views about the land legislation of the past few years since leaving the Government benches. The second reading was carried by 34 votes to 4. November 30. The, Premier moved the second reading of the Parliamentary Honorarium and Privileges Act Amendment Bill. It had been introduced to give effect to what he believed to be the wish of the country and of the House. The members of the House were to receive £150, instead of two hundred guineas per session, and the Legislative Councillors £100 instead of two hundred guineas. Sir Julius Yogel and Sir George Grey condemned the Bill. Captain Russell and W P. Reeves supported it. .The second reading was carried by 56 votes to 14. The House then adjourned.