Essence of Parliament.

Manawatu Herald, 11 August 1892, Page 3

Essence of Parliament.

„ i On .Tuesday Mr McGuire brought forward his notice of motion relating to the Tescindment of the vote of censure on the Hon Mr Bryce.

The Hon W. P. Reeves moved as nn amendment, "That in view of the eminent services rendered to the > olony by the ' under-mentioned gentlemen, now no longer members cf this House* it is not expedient to rotiUQ i\ permanent record of votes of reg.vt or censure passed at various times with respect to each of them for unparliamentary language used in Ihe heat of debate, or for disobedience to the Chair; and this Hou.^e Ih^refore directs that the entries in the Journals' as the pages and on the dates named be now expunged, that is to say, as to Mr H. E. Curtis, the entry at page 216, 12th July, 1856 ; as to Mr Vincent PyK-e, the entry at page 183, 14th September, 1876 ; as to the Hon J. 1\ Orttioi.cl, the entry at page 856, '23 rd November, 1877 ; as to the Hon W. Gisborne, the entry at pages 247, 248, 2nd September, 188i ; as to the Hon Sir Julius Vogel, the entry at page 71. 16th November, 1887 ; as to the Hon Bryce, the e:itry at page 224, 27th August, 1891." — The amendment Was seconded by Mr Hall- Jones The Minister of Public Works, Messrs Duthie and G. Hutchison spoke. Captain Russell said the Hon Mr Gisborne did not wish the vote of censure against him to be expunged from the Journals of the House, believing as he did, that he was sacrificing himself in support ot ft great constitutional right. Other members having spoken, the amendment was put and carried on .the voices. '! ho Minister of Lands then moved the Rocond reading of the Land Bill. In doing so he suggested that the discussion on the principle of the measure should take place on the motion to go into committee, and that now the second reading should be passed quickly and the Bill re ¥ furred to the Waste Lane's Committee. Hj remarked th.l3 measure provided that everyone should choose their own system of tenure— cash, deferred payment or perpetual lease. He stated that at the proper time he should propo-e a clause making the lease perpetual, and not for 50 years, merely giving . the Crown the right of saying that such land should not be transferred to holders of large areas of land, although he could at any time sell. his interest in .it to those not already holding too much land. That was the only difference there would b- 1 between the freehold and this system . He was, he said, quite prepared to meet any reason* able amendment to the Bill, and said he had altered the one man one run clause by making the clause provide that a person could ta'<e up j more than one run providing they I did not amount to more than 5000 j acres in small grazing runs. The Hon Mr Rolleston said the Bill was very little, more than a consolidating measure, and where it differed from the present law was j scarcely of a beneficial nature. He I should do his best- to amend the j Bill, considering that it brought the I speculator and the monopolist into competition with the bona fide settler, arid added that he thought it was a mischievous proposal that any successful applicant for land put up tor sale oould choose his mode of tenure. Mr Geo. Hutchison characterised the Bill as a worse measure than that of last year. The Minister for Public Works upheld the measure at great length. Mr Bruce expressed himself as being iu favour of the spirit ol the Bill as far as it went in preventing the acquisition of land in large quan* tities, but he objected to it on the ground that it did not give sufficient facilties for acquiring froehoid, and also in regard to some of the regulasions regarding residence. He.expressed the opinion that settlers would not be denied the privilege of freehold, and then moved ns an amendment : " That, while in the opinion of this House the Land Bill contains some useful amendments in the existing law and should at An early date be read a second time, this House considers that the extent to which the-Bill aims at restricting the freehold tenure is unsatisfactory, and calculated to l>e injurious to the best interests of settlement." The Hon Mr Fergus seconded The Leader of the Opposition, in reply to the Premier, said he entirely coucuired with the amendment. The Premier said he accepted it as a motion travel sing th« policy of the Government.