THE LAND BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1904, 13 October 1906, Page 3

THE LAND BILL.

BAOKDOWN COMES AS GREAT SURPRISE.

Special to the Times

■Wellington, last night. Soarooly anything was talked about in political ciroles to day but the abandonmoot of tho Land Bill by the Government. Tho question is also being very tnuch ditc'Jeaod in tbo oity. 'i'o the majority of Wellington people tho no'ion of the Government came as a great surprise, beoauae both the newspapers had horn strongly urging tbo Bill, and leading tbeir readers to be'ievo that every ttlort would bB made to plaos it on the Siatuto Bock this session. In tbo House of Representatives the leaseholders ate particularly despondent, and aorno of them make no secret of the fact that they are bitterly disappointed. One Government supporter, an ardent leaseholder, says ho is goieg to put a band of orapa on his arm and another on his bat booanso of tbo prrmaturo demito of tbo Bill, Another Government supporter, who is of a sporting turn nud at tbo sam • time a staunch freeholder, is a' joyful as his fellow Ministerialist is sad, biotuse he has woo no fewer than five suits of clothes on bets that the Bill would not get through Ibis session. . In most unexpected quarters, indeed on all hands, tho opinion is expressed that tho Government has made a grave t io iol blunder, especially after ail >ho protestations thoy made about pushing the B.il through and standing cr fading by it. One prominent leaseholder dee ared that 11 tbo Government had bet a infamously weak,” and that "he expected tb'-rn to have m >rc grit.” Equally disconsolatwas tho reply of another ItascnuioiT, It is o bitter pill for us to swad.nv.” Yet another said, "I am very disappointed indeed, but in view of tho present state of the parlies in tbo House, the dioisioo of the Government will eventually be for the best. We will have to pot enough energy into the fight in tbo country to make up for our defeat in the House.” A number of members of the Lands Committee are also agg ioved ihat the work they put into the Bill must to a great extent go for naught. 11 I thick the Government has aotid very bsdly indeed towards the Cooomittee.” ous member remarked, when questioned as to bis views. “ Tbs Csmmitt e endeavored to koook the Bill into shape, and sucoseded to a ia-ge extent in doieg so, but tbs Government jettisoned tho Bi)'. I am simply ais

gusied.” . , Even the Ministerial ] >urnal ibis mom ing lakes tbo Govirnment to task foe its abandonment of the measure. 1 1 its leading artiolo it says : " The staggering fact confront! us that at the command of a faction wh eh made no seoret of its intention to obstruct tbo Bill and usd the procedure of Parliament to rob the country of a greatly desired policy, the Government has surrendered iis position and retired without a struggle. Nothing that Ministers could have done oould be more keenly disappoictiDg to their friends, and while it is impossible to wiibhold a measure of sympathy from a Government so oppres. sed by an unusually harasriog combination of oitoomstances, we are bound to say that the Premier has not shown the firmness wfaioh we all had a right to espso! of

him.” The " Times " hopes for the pass

ing of the Bill next sbss’od, but points out that it goes into the chambers of the future with the ‘‘damuosa beridltas ” of parental desertion. Mr Massey, Leader of the Opposition, says he has no wish at the present to say anything about the situation that has arisen. If any explanation ia necessary it is for the Government to give it. He mentioned, however, that he was already beginning to receive letters and telegrams of congratulation regarding the abandonmart of the Bill, One message, typical of the majority, reads: " Congratulations on your great vlofo y; hope it will be followed up by activity on part of all our frlenda. Meantime the Bill is still a dis» turbing menace to all business of the

colony." To-day little interest is beiDg taken in the proosediDgs of Parliament, and it is generally reoogniaed that for the remainder of the eoseioD politics will be dead. Members and the publio do not care how soon the session ends. PRESS ASSOCIATION Dancvirke, last night. A meeting called under the auspices of the Farmers’ Union, held here to day to discuss the Land Bill, was attended by about 50 settlers, including some principal runholders of Hawke’s Bay- Mr banders, provincial President, presided, and spoke against the Bill. Several other speakers opposed the endowment clauses, 60 years’ lease, and abolition of the option of freehold Mr Matthew Tanso.y proposed that as the Land Act Amendment Bill is so opposed to the unanimous wishes of the farmers it cannot be in the best interests of the country, and all the Farmers Unions throughout the colony are requested to co-operate in opposing it Carried unanimously.