PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1548, 1 September 1905, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[(Pec Press Association.)' Welliogton, yesterday. After the telegraph oiffioe olosed the Shops and Offioeß Bill was reported from Committee with amendments, and the House rose at 1.35.

'AFTERNOON SITTINGWellington, last night. The Oounoil met at 2.30. The Taranaki Scholarships Bill passed ita final stages. The House met at 2.30, ~

In reply to Mr Taylor, Mr Seddon said he did not; intend to take discussion on the Auditor-General’a report on She voucher incident until the debate on the land question was disposed of. The greater part of the afternoon was oooupied in disoussing Ministerial replies to questions.

EVENING SET-TING, LAND RESOLUTIONS. THE PREMIER DISHES THE OPPOSITION. [(Per Press Association.) Wellington, last night, The House resumed at 7.30. In moving his land resolutions, Mr Seddon indicated that he did not propose to treat Mr Massey’s amendment as a want of confidence motion. He said that Mr Massey was dragging the House into an alteration of the land laws, and the result would be an increase in the graduated land tax. Where, he asked, were Grown tenants going to get the seven millions of money required to purehaso their holdings ? Mr Massey bad every money lender in the colony behind him in making that proposal. As to Mr Massey’s amendment, be would not place any of his supporters in a false position. They must do as they thought best in the interests of the colony end their constituents.

Mr Massey moved the following amendment—“ The Government having reoeived the report of the Commission appointed to enquire into tiie best form of land tenure for the colony, and having failed to formulate any land policy which will grant to the tenants of the Crown the right to acquire the freehold of their farms on equitable terms, thereby forfeits the confidence of this House."

Mr Massey went on to say that the position taken up by the Premier was the most miserable he had over seen taken np by a man in his position. The resolutions were those of miserable opportunists, men of no political principal. Crown tenants, he deolaretl, were perfectly willing to pay a graduated tax if they got the freehold. _ Mr Dunoafi said he was not in favor of giving tho option of the freehold to settlers under tho Land for Settlement Act.