PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 40, 16 August 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

— ♦- . Legislative Council. (prb pbess association.) Wellington, August 15. The Council met at 2.30. | The Electoral Bill was read a first time, ! the second reading being fixed for Thurs« day. The Hon. Mr Shrimski moved the second reading of the Intoxicating Liquors | Supply to Children Bill. The Bill was lukewarmly supported by several members, and eventually read a second time. The Fencing Act Amendment Bill and Agricultural and Pastoral Bill were read a second time. The Council then adjourned.

House of Kepbesentatives. The House met at 2.30. Hon J. McKenzie moved the second reading of the Cheviot Estate Disposi* tion Bill, to provide for the administration and disposition of certain land in the County of Cheviot, lately purchased by (he Crown. He held that Government were compelled to purchase the estate in. order to protect the revenue of the colony. The property tax valuation of the of the Chtvio* estate was L304.856, or at the rate of L3 11s od per acre, but the trustees valued it at L260.220, being L44.680 less than the valuation of the Innd tax valuers, who refused to make the reduction. Government had asked Mr McMillan, as a disinterestsd person, to make a valuation, and he valued it at L295.998, or L35.778 above that made by the owners. After getting this valuation, Government could not possibly agree to the request of the owners to innke a roduction, and they were therefore compelled to take over the estate. As to the question of the disposal of the property he might say he had heard on good authority that a syndicate in Christchurch would take up the whole of the property at a hand some profit to Government. After consideration Government came to the con* elusion that the estate should be broken up for settlement purposes. They had provided in the Bill that one third of the land should be sold for cash by public auction, one third by lease in perpetuity, and one third by lease for grazing farms. He proposed to refer the Bill to the Waste Lands Committee, and he had no hesitation in saying that the estate could be made a financial success, in which event there would be a further subdivision. Mr Bichardsou complimented the Minister for having spoken on this Bill in a more practical way than he had done for a long time past. He held the same amount of money would have purchased one million acres of native land, which was at present unproductive, and roaded and surveyed it Tbe first object of the Government should be to deal with unoccupied lands. Sir Robert Stout thought Mr McKenzie had made out a good case for the purcha-e of the estate. The only point he hoped the Waste Lauds Committee would consider, was whether it was advisable to dispose of two-thirds ot the land on the freehold tenure, as the lease in perpetuity was practically freehold. He regarded the lease in perpetuity as a perfect sham, and he was opposed to selling land for cash at all. Mr Buchanan considered Government should haye purchased Natire land for settlement. Mr Robert Thompson contended that if the amount expended in the purchase of the Cheviot estate had been used in roading and surveying ;n the North, it would have been much better for the colony. Mr Rolleston said, as they were in for the purchase of this property, they must make the best of it. He did not think Parliament intended that purchases of this kind should be made, and Government had taken a great responsibility on themselves, which only time would show whether it was a prudent course or not. He thought there were a number of other properties that might be taken at very considerable advantage, especially those in tbe vicinity of railway stations. He quite agreed with Sir U. Stout in his objections to the lease in perpetuity. Mr Bruce said that the Minister of Lauds, in speaking on this Bill, had made a moderate and temperate speech, and had made tbe b9st of a very bad bargain. He strongly protested against the Government embarking on a career of land speculation. Messrs Lake, Saunder*, Sandford, C; H. Mills, Fish, Duthie, Fisher, Joyce, Harkness, Thomas McKenzie, Buckland, and McGuire also took part in the debate on the motion for the second reading of the Cheviot Estate Disposition Bill. It wa<i generally agreed that now the pur« chase had been completed the House should make the best of it. Several of the speakers, however, took objection to any portion of the estate being sold. In the course of his reply, the Minister for Lands said the members who had criticised the purchase had mixed up the Land and Income Tax Act and the Land Act in a most extraordinary manner. This was the only estate offered to the Government under the Land and Income Assessment on which the Government yuluation had been upheld. The Hon. W. Rolleston urged that the Public Works Statement should be brought down at an early date, before the estimates were fully dealt with. Sir Robert Stout agreed that the Public Works Statement should be brought down speedily, and not left to the end of the session. Captain Russell thought they should have not only the Public Works State* ment, but the particulars of the expenditure which would be required in the Defence Department, under Colonel Fox's report. The Premier complained that there was never so muca taJlsing in Parliament as at the present time. As to the Public Works Statement, the Opposition must recognise that that Statement could not be framed until the Government were sure of their taxation proposals. The Government intended to read just the arrangements of subsidies to local bodies. The second reading of the Cheviot Estate Disposition Bill wa3 agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was referred to the Waste Lands Committee. An amendment that the Government should take over and metal the main road north of Auckland was negatived and the House then went into Committee of Sup* ply for consideration of the Estimates. Votes for the Colonial Treasurers Dept, Customs and Marine Debts, Government Insurance and Public Trust Office were agreed to without alteration. Progress was reported and the House rose at 3, '60 a.m.