POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2611, 19 August 1882, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

CBr TatBSBAPH.J [FHOM THE “PBHBB.”] WELLINGTON, August 18. In regard to the proposed amendment* in the Land Bill, the Waste Lands Committee hare recommended that the Land Act Amendment Bill be allowed to proceed with the amendments shown in the reprinted copy of the Bill attached to their report. Among their suggested amendments is one to the effect that the leases granted under provision of that Act shall not be subject to stamp duty, neither shall deferred payment deeds, Another is to allow fourteen days’ grace, instead of seven, for the execution of the lease after the day fixed for the opening. A proviso is also added that in case of forfeiture for nonexecution of lease, the next highest tenderer may be declared to be the lessee. It is proposed that Boards shall be permitted to reduce the upset rental of land which it has failed to lease, calling for tenders at a reduced upset. It is proposed to amend clause 28 by giving the Crown power to resume leased lands if required for other mining purposes than merely gold mining. It is proposed to repeal the definition of substantial improvements "of a permanent character ” in the Land Acts of 1877 and 1879, and to substitute the following definition :—“ Such improvements shall mean and include reclamation from swamps, clearing of bush or scrub, cultivation on fencing, draining, making roads, sinking wells or water tanks, constructing water races, or in any way improving the character or fertility of the soil, or erecting any building." In clause 34 it is proposed to bar’riparian claims in regard to river pollution caused by any mining operations. In clause 35 it is recommended that the valuation of improvements shall apply only to those of a “ permanent ” character, as above defined. It is also suggested that if the lease be not resold, and the lessee do not exercise the option of taking a renewal, he may continue as a tenant from year to year, so long as he continues to pay rent and observes the conditions of the former lease, until the Board find a new lessee. In the renewal leases the term is to be for twenty-one instead of thirty years. The appointment of an nmpire if the arbitrators fail to agree is proposed to be vested in the arbitrators. In clauses 45 and 48 the proviso excepting reserves for primary education is struck out, as also one of clauses 53 and 54, providing for the relief of deferred payment settlers. Under clause 55 a selector who has purchased 100 (instead of fifty) acres and fulfilled all the conditions for three years, may purchase another allotment of rural land, and so on up to 320 acres. The new clauses proposed for the relief of deferred payment selectors provides that unpaid payments may be capitalised and interest charged at 5 per cent., and that on payment of such interest half-yearly in advance, he may retain his land, conditionally on his paying up the capitalised value of arrears within four years after the date originally specified. Deferred payment lands may be put up to tender instead of auction. Pastoral leases to be for twenty-one instead of fourteen years, pastoral pre-emptive rights to be 150 instead of eighty acres adjacent to one homestead. Clause 62 is struck out. The other amendments are chiefly verbal or technical, but those it will be seen are of a highly important character, and calculated to exercise material influence on the prospects of the Bill passing. I was not at liberty to state last night the course determined on by the Government in the direction of defeating Mr Shrimski’s amendment on the Loan Bill, but you will tee by the Parliamentary report what it was. When tho House met to-day the Hon. Major Atkinson moved the postponement of the Orders of the Day, in order to allow Mr Hursthouee’s motion (which is oimilar in general principle to Mr Shrimski’s) to go on This was agreed to by a majority of 16, and then on Mr Hursthouse duly moving his resolution, Major Atkinson moved an amendment that tho whole question be referred to a Select Committee, the understanding being that it should not bo made a party question at all. On this amendment arose a debate which has lasted all the evening, and has been of an unspeakably dreary and tedious oharactfwhile utterly idle, so far as any possibility of practical good is concerned at this late period of tho session. During tho discussion tht impossibilities of the proposal were so clearly brought out by Major Atkinson, Mr Whitaker, and others that tho thing virtually collapsed early in the evening, and even Sir

George Grey substantially admitted the hopelessness of the ease. Still, however, the ,*rordy wrangle goes on, although it is known it must be reaultless, and is a mere wicked waste of valuable time. Major Atkinson’s amendment will be carried, and then the subject will drop. I doubt if any real work will be done at all to-night, if not then Monday also will be taken up by the Loan Sill, and the direct steam question will not come up before Tuesday or Wednesday. Mr ©river’s notice of motion in favor of financial insular separation has created very little excitement. Members are growing weary of the mere debating club work, and it will probably be quietly dropped. At any rate I know that several leading members, not personally adverse to the idea, are urging Mr Driver to let it go. Of course nothing can possibly come of it in any case. Parliament to-day enters on its fourth mouth of the session, and there are still 101 order* of the day on the order paper.