THE LAND BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1860, 14 September 1906, Page 3

THE LAND BILL.

'{Special to Times.) Wellington, last night The one topic of conversation is the Land Bill. It is agreed on all hands that the Bill contains the most re-, volutiosary land proposals ever submitted in the history of the colonial Parliament. The leaseholders, the single taxers, and the socialists are jubilant. The Opposition are lying low, saying nothand several of the Government supporters are shaking their heads doubtfully. Others say the Bill is “ a good Bill,” and all admit that it is very cleverly drawn, and very drastic. The leader of the Opposition, whom I asked for an interview, refused to be drawn, and other members of the party were in no hurry to speak. Several members up to a late hour in the afternoon had not seen the Bill owing to the fact that only a limited TinmW JbAd..^fiS n circulated un till

that time, and that many mombora had giabbod more than their sharo. Tho Bill has boon reforrod to tho Lands Committoo, so that nothing more will bo hoard of it in tho llouso for about a wook or perhaps a fortnight. If tho opponents of tho Bill decido to tight, it is aafo to say that thoro will not bo tho slightest ohanco of it becoming law this sossion. Mr Ivutherford, tho loading spirit in tho couutry party on tho Government sido of tho House, has so far not much to say about tho Bill, but ho is strongly opposod to tho ondowmout policy, bo. causo it will only produce aboui £50,000 a year, and tho throo departments for which tiro lands aro earmarked require a rovonuo of £150,000 per annum. As to tho proposed increase iu valuo ho points out that thoro can be no iuoroaso in valuo till the end of tho 1 oases many yoars honco. lie regards tho proposal as simply an attompt to got behind tho freehold. Asked what ho thought of tho bursting up policy in regard to tho reduction of tho largo estates, ho said he did not think it would inflict any hardships, especially if the present prosperity continued, as it would be possible to sell the surplus land a good prices

PROSPECTS Oh A DIVISION,

; I {Special to Times.) I I Wellington, last night. I I The card is being anxiously pricked j by Government supporters in view of a division on the Land Bill. Yesterday one prominent Government supporter informed mo that the Government could count upon a majority of five. To-day another Government supporter told me the majority would bo four. The fear of a dissolution will undoubtedly lead some of the weaker members of the Government party to vote for the second reading of the measure, even though it does not meet with ckeir hearty approval.

A member who gives a general support to the Government, but who will vote against them on their land proposals, states that, judged by their platform utterances, there are 48 members of the House who would declare in support of the freehold if a vote were taken on a straight-out freehold v. leasehold question, and votes were cast according to convictions apart from party and personal considerations.