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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 608, 4 October 1913, Page 5

Ti*«r.. rr.oni In I ni 'be l <flll ;?ave rise to kr< 1 l i it n \ blfP southern men h n " > rou H ~>n t l'j<j proposal ns icii u * t 'lnn while the Op ( uen n i i \ i ontended that mm (n Gni iiii< i i chared Vvhat they propose to proceed with, it was unfair to take from members the time necessary for recuperation after a heavy week's work. Mr Massey, in reply, quoted returns to show that he was not taking Monday ac an earlier data than in past years. He accused the South Island members of political laziness and unwillingness to do their duty to their constituents. Concerning business of the session, he pointed out that 22 Bills bad been passed and sent to the Legislative Council; four were in the third reading stage; and seven were before tho Select Committees; fourteen were in the second reading stage, and the Government intended to take up Mr Hindmarsh's Distress Limitation Bill.

Mr Isitt: If you have done so much, how have we obstructed you? ! Mr Masaey: We have put these measures through in spite of the obstruction of the hon. gentlemen opposite. Continuing, the Prime Minister said: So far as the termination of the session was concerned, all he could say was that he intended to stay where he was until the business of the House was completed. - A division was called for, when the motion was carried by 38 votes to 28. The Defamation Bill was, on the motion of the Hon. Herdman, read a second time pro forma. He proposed to send it to the Statutes Revision Committee. THE NEW LAND BILL. DEBATED IN THE HOUSE. Mr Massey introduced the Land Bill. In explaining iis features he said the desire of the Government was to give security of tenure and increase the productiveness of the Dominion consequently he was anxious to put a 1 ittle land law on the Statute Book and thereby do justice to the pioneers. The Bill provided, amongst other things, for granting the freehold to occupiers of land for settlement lands and extend time wherein the freehold can be purchased from ten to twenty years. It also gives the city man the right to take up a country Bection without compulsory residence, on making double improvement. Regarding grazing runs the principle of one man one run had been adoptedj and in connection with reaggregation provision for the owner to be given the option of cutting up the land himself, or he may hand it over to the Land Settlement Department for cutting up. Failing the adoptoti of either of these expedients the Crown will compulsorily acquire the land and cut it up. Gum land in the North is to be classified and settled. Italians and Austrians will be given the right to acquire sections under international treaties. Sir Joseph Ward admitted the tenure settled by Parliament was freehold, and he accepted that position. There were many provisions in the Bill which would not assist settlement, and few that would. He particularly condemned the provision to do away with the residential conditions. The machinery provided for subdivision by the Government last year failed utterly, not a single case of subdivision having taken place under it. The rapidity with which the money was coming in for freehold purchases was also a great disappointment to the Premier as only £60,000 had been realised to date. The failure was admitted by the Premier by the extension of time from ten to twenty years. The closer settlement problem had to be faced, and the only way to do it was by the operation of the Graduated Land Tax, The tenure of the future would be limited freehold, assisted by optional leasehold. Penal legislation should be provided to pre vent reaggregation. The debate was carried on by Messrs Newman, Mac Donald, Wilson, Isitt, Rhodes arid Payne, nnd the House rose at 12.0">.