NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2219, 24 October 1907, Page 1

NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

BILL BEFORE PARLIAMENT

EVIDENCES OF STRONG OPPOSITION.

(Special to Times).

"WELLINGTON, October 22

Tlie land question still continues to agitate Parliament. No sooner is one Bill out of tho way than another takes its place. As previously stated most people in and about Parliament are quite tired of hearing the land question discussed. As one Parliamentarian put to me to-day, some members have talked so much about lni:*l that they are almost beginning- to fifel grit”-'in their months.

This evening tho House of Itcpreentatives settled down to discuss the National Endowment Bill, the second reading of which was moved by Sir Joseph Ward in a temperate explanatory speech. Ho was followed by Mr. Massey, and if was at once evident that there was considerable opposition even on the Government side of tho House to this portion of the Government’s land policy. Mr. Fraser, the member for Wakatipu, had previously interjected that the reason the schedule had been knocked out of the Bill by tlio Lands Committee was becaiiso of the £49,000 of revenue to bo provided by the proposed endowments £44,000 was to be provided by Otago. Sir. Massey now made strong objection to tlio Bill because it would tend to hinder settlement in the North Island. He twitted tlio Premier with again going in for compromise. That, he added, was a weak and unsatisfactory method, and there had already been too much of it this session. Either this Bill was right or it was wrong. If it were right they should agree to it, with but little discussion. If it wero wrong they should resist it by every, means in their power. Tho leaseholder, who had already got a great deal out of tho Government, had now again como up smiling and was asking lor more. Ho hoped the Bill would never reach tho Statute Book until the people of the colony, whoso land this was, had had an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon it. Mr. Laurenson: Try the referendum I

Mr, Massey: I am quite willing to try the issue in tho constitutional way by going to the country. The Loader of the Opposition added that ho would endeavour to get his district knocked out of the schedule. Mr. Roderick McKenzie: I’ll endeavour to get Nelson knocked out. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Masey: I’ll help the lion, member if he will help me. (Laughter, and hear, hear; and cries of “Compromise,” from the leaseholders.) Mr. Massey: Those lion, gentlemen don’t know the meaning of “Compromise.” This is not a compromise—it’s an alliance, and a defensive one at that, and a very strong one, too. (Hoar, hear.) Finally Mr. Massov showed that tho Governnient had adoped tho endowment idea from tho former Socialistic leader of tho House, Mr. T. E. Taylor. He quoted one of Mr. Taylor’s speeches in support of tho statement. Mr. Laurenson, _ the member for Lyttelton, replied in a fluent speoech that was strongly in favor of national endowments. He was followed by Mr. Mills, who soon half emptied the House. Ho condemned the Bill as ono that was not on sound commonsense business lines. ■. Mr. Baume, another Government supporter, spoke still more strongly against the Ball, -and the House adjourned for slipper.