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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 601, 10 September 1913, Page 5

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MiS ma.ssky. '' V, ' •■•'■il n IKS KOK SETTLEMENT, j I KUIGATING CENTRAL OTAGO. THE GARDEN OP EDEN. [in: Ti'XKoiKArn. —press association.] Wellington, Tuesday. W.ien the House met this afternoon, the Land Bill wbb introduced by Governor's message and read a first time. The Prime Minißter referred to eome of the more important clauses of the Bill. He Baid that it provided great facilities for the Bettler to obtain a rebate of rent and for the revaluation of blocks which had been too highly priced and rents reduced accordingly. Another proposal was to allow people to take up land, which they could not occupy at present, on condition that they effected double the amount of improvements usually required. Power wag also to occupierß of pastoral leases in the Hauraki Plains district, but it was also made clear that the land could be reßumed by the Crown if minerals were discovered. The term under which the owners of renewable leasts could acquire was extended to nineteen years. Aa to the taking of private lands for settlement the Government would inform the owner that his land was required and within six months the owner could either himßelf Bub-divide the land, or agree that the Government should sub-divide it, or the land could—if neither such courße was adopted—bn taken compulsorily. Re< garding the aggregation of privately owned land he said acquisition would be deemed to be aggregation. When a person acquired land who waß already the owner of land any such pruchase would be reported on by the Land Purchase Commißsionerß, and if the Board said that it was acquired for public use it would be acquired by the Crown. He believed that when the Bill reached the Statute Book it would be found to be a very ÜBeful measure.

Public Trust Office Amendment Bill was read a third time. The House went into Committee on the Land Transfer Amendment Bill, which passed through with minor machinery amendments. The Irrigation ar.d Water Supply Bill was then considered in Committee.

Mr Russell objected to the clause providing that all monieß raißed under the Act shall be paid into the Public WorkßF und to the credit of a separate account and shall without further appropriation be applied by the Minister of Public Work* as he thinks fit towards the opening up and development of land for settlement in the country. He contended that it was proposed to hand the Minister for Public Works a cheque for a hundred thousand pounds, and Parliament was not to know what was being done. Mr Massey said the provision bad been taken out of Appropriation Act, and been put in the Bill. There wbb nothing new in the provision and it had been law for years. What was proposed to be done would be found in the Public Works Statement when it came down.

Mr Russell persisted that no information would be forthcoming regarding the expenditure of the money. Parliament Bhould know where the money was going to be spent. He moved to strike out the words providing that no appropriation was necessary.

The Hon. Mr Fraser said the proposal was not new. Similar things had been always done. The Hon. Mr Massey quoted Acts passed by the Ward Government containing exactly the same principle. On being assured that the Minister ot Public Work j would supply the information sought if it were possible, Mr Russell withdrew his amendment, and the Bill was passed unaltered. The Committee then considered the Land Drainage Amendment Bill. On the Prime Minister's motion provision was made that the rate to be levied may not exceed twelve farthings. The fixing of the number of ratepayers necessary to petition in oruer that a new rate may be levied wbs altered from three-fourths to half, and the Bill passed through Committee without further amendments.

On the motion for the third reading of the Irrigation and Water' Supply Bill the Hon. James Allen said he looked forward to the irrigation of Central Otago. When that waß accomplished the district would be the Garden of Eden of New Zealand.

Mr Laurenßon agreed that the irrigation of Central Otago would make it the most fertile land in the Dominion.

The Hon. Fraasr traced the his tory of the movement to irrigate Central Otago. If the Government did not go on with the work private enterprise was prepared to take it up.

In the evening sitting the Irrigation and Water Supply Bill waa read a third ti.-ne.

The Land Drainage Amendment Bill was also read a third time. The Land Tax and Income Tax Bill waa read a second time and the House rose at 1 a.m.