IRISH LAND BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 941, 14 July 1903, Page 3

IRISH LAND BILL.

(Per R.M.S. Sierra at Auckland.) 1 LONDON, June 24. As predicted in despatches yesterday, the resumption of the debate in the House of Commons to-day on the Irish Land Bill was marked by the introduction by Mr Wyndham (Chief Secretary for Ireland) of an amendment designed to remove the difficulty, in regard to the retention in Clause 1 of provision for the minimum price at which tenants may purchase their holdings and permitting bargains to be made outside of judicial zones. The agreement is hailed on all sides as being a great concession.

.Mr John Redmond declared that Mr Wyndham had saved the Bill, and the, amendment was 'agreed to amid cheers and general congratulations.

Sir 11. Campbell-Bannerman, the Liberal leader, joined in congratulations in the spirit of conciliation prevailing, and the dangerous clause of the Bill was adopted without division. . ,

Later on, Mr Wyndham agreed to the extension of the limit of advances to be made to purchasers of agricultural farms from twenty-five thousand dollars to fifteen thousand dollars.

The debate on the Irish Land Bill in the House of Commons to-night was a decided “ love feast.” The evening was spent in submission o£ amendments by Nationalist memwhich were successively, debated in an amicable spirit, and. then withdrawn, without division. After the dinner recess, Mr Wil-, liam o:Brien presented an amendment putting evicted tenants upon equality with existing tenants. He declared the clause, as it stood, looked like a deliberate policy of vengeance,! towards evicted tenants, and acceptance of the amendment would be a message to Ireland. Mr Wyndham promised, to deal with evicted tenants under Clause 48, and said he would double the amount of advance evicted tenants could get. Mr Redmond said the advance to evicted tenants was satisfactory,but the rejection of thp amendment would leave a sore spot arid militate against the working of the Bill. Clause 2, which deals with advances to tenants, was then passed. In the discussion of Clause 3, which provides for advances to owners selling their estates, Mr T. P. O’Connor moved to exclude non-resi-dent landlords from the benefits of the Bill, but the amendment was withdrawn. Other amendments were offered, and afterwards withdrawn. Clause three was then adopted, and the House shortly before midnight adjourned. LONDON, June 25.

All this morning’s papers, commenting on Mf Wyndham’s concessions to Nationalists on the Irish Land Bill, predict a speedy passage of the measure through the committee stage. The remarkable change in the situation is welcomed as a good augury for the future peace of Ireland, and it is admitted that the danger of the Bill being defeated lias now been averted. While only three of eighty-six clauses of the Bill have been agreed to, a spirit of concession prevails on both sides, and the crucial points have been passed. The scene in the House, of commons following Mr Wyndham’s pronouncement of his amendment regarding the minimum purchase price is described as unique in the history of Parliament, the consequence being that the Government’s hand is materially strengthened by the winning over ol the Nationalists. Another result of Mr Wyndham’s concession, it is pointed out, will be the speedy conclusion of the session, and possibly an earlier dissolution of Parliament.