PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5210, 3 December 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Saturday, December 1. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at--2.30 p.m. REPORTS. The following reports were brought up and read :—Reports of the Waste Lands Committee on the Westland and Nelson Coal Fields Administration Bill, the Peninsular County Bill, and the Titnaru Harbor Endowment Bill; report of the Select Committee on Hallways, by the Hon. Mr. Buckley ; report of the Select Committee on the Oamara Recreation Reserves Bill, by the Hon. Mr. Miller ; and an interim report of the Select Committee on Standing Orders, by the Hon. Major Richmond, C.B. NOTICES OP MOTION. The Hons. Messrs. Russell and Miller gave notices of motion for Monday. third readings. The Sale of Food and Drugs Bill and the Nelson Rifle Prize Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. SECONH READINGS. The Laud Bill and the Greenwood Pension Bill were read a _ second time, the first being ordered to be committed on Monday next, and the second being subsequently committed. IN COMMITTEE. The Mines Bill and the Greenwood Pension Bill were advanced a stage in committee, and the Council then adjourned till the usual hour on Monday next. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Saturday, December 1. The Speaker took the chair at half-past two. QUESTIONS. Mr. HURSTHOHSE asked the Government, —What action they intend to take with regard to the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of Motueka and Moutere settlers, praying for the construction of a railway ? The Hon. Mr. SHEEHAN replied that the Government would cauee a flying survey of the line to be made. Mr. STEEVENS asked the Premier, — Whether the Government will, next session, introduce a Bill making the polling at elections of members of the House of Representatives begin at nine o’clock in the morning and close at seven o’clock in the evening ? Sir GEORGE GREY said the Government would bring in a Bill next session dealing with such matters. financial arrangements. On the motion of the Hon. Mr. SHEEHAN, the Financial Arrangements Act Amendment Billwas introduced and read a first time. He (Mr. Sheehan) stated the Government proposed to take the second reading that day at halfpast seven o’clock. LAND BILL. Sir GEORGE GREY moved the second reading of the above Bill. Major AT KINS Ols hoped the Government would not press that two such important measures as the Lands Bill and the Financial Arrangements Act should go through that day. They opened up questions of great magnitude, and he thought the public business would not be retarded by giving a day for their consideration. If there were no objectionable features in the measure, his side of the House would offer no objection to their going through all their stages on Monday. Mr. STOUT explained the object of the Bills, which he said only embodied the policy of the Financial Statement. Sir GEORGE GREY had no objection to the Financial Arrangements Act being postponed till Monday. With regard to the Land Bill, no change was contemplated whatever further than what was necessary to give effect to their policy with regard to the Land Fund. The Bill was simple in its provisions, could beuuaerstood by all, and could become law at once. It could not bo expected that the Government should frame a comprehensive measure, seeing the short time at their disposal. The Bill contained nothing-that was new, and nothing that was striking. It was only intended that it should have effect till the end

of the session, ns the Government proposed bringing down a Bill which would" have for its object a uniform land law. Mr, REID thought if they had inserted one new clause in the Bill now before the Upper House, it would have met the case. Xhe Bill would lead to confusion, and would have the effect of retarding settlement by fixing too high a price for land. He moved the adjournment of the debate. , .. The Hon. Hr. MAOANDREW said it was a great argument for the Bill that Hr. Reid treated it so mildly. He was the only man in the House who could he called an expert upon the land question. If an uniform land law was desirable when the laud revenue was local revenue, it was absolutely necessary now that the Land Fund had become colonial revenue. The present Bill tended in that direction. _ Hr. TRAVERS said the Bill was inconsistent and unintelligible. Ho spoke strongly against the system of selling land by auction, as it absolutely debarred the poor settler from obtaining land. He instanced whole districts in Nelson which had passed into the hands of capitalists through public competition. Sale by auction, in every sense of the word, was ■mischievous, both as regarding revenue and settlement. He pointed out the success of the free selection system in Canterbury. If the province of Otago had not possessed goldfields, the sale of land by public auction would have placed that proviuce in the same position as Nelson. He was perfectly satisfied that if they consulted the settlers throughout the country, they would ope and all pronounce against sales by auction. Mr. STOUT stated that one-half of Otago had free selection since ISGS. Government had simply followed out the advice of the hon. member for Taieri, which was to let the Bill now before the Legislative Conned pass, and bring down a short Bill to amend it in accordance with the policy enunciated in the Financial Statement. As long as they admitted the principle of free trade in land, they could not object to sale by auction. Marlborough, Nelson, and Auckland were the only three provinces affected by the Bill. He instanced the sale of the Patea land by auction at as high as £5 per acre, to show that the auction system did not result in the laud going into the hands of capitalists. The Hon. Mr. Gisborne supported the Bill, and Mr. Sutton thought there was no necessity for it, and that it would stop sales of land in the North Island. Major ATKINSON said it was clear if the Government desired a uniform land law they would not introduce sucb a Bill as this except for a temporary purpose and to meet the changes in the financial policy. He trusted the consideration of the Bill would be postponed till the financial arrangements of the Government would be in possession of the

House. Mr. MANDERS said he would go further than the proposals of the Government, and would advocate that the whole of the Land Fund should go into the Consolidated Revenue. Mr. McLEAN would desire to see the Financial Arrangements Bill considered with the Land Bill. It affected Otago by raising the price of some lands from £1 to £2 per acre. Speaking of the Land Fund, he denied that a majority of tie members who voted for abolition intended to make the Laud Fund colonial property, and if that party had remained in power it would not have become so; but whan it was offered by the provincialist party the North Island members would have been unwise not to accept it. Mr. BEES was quite willing to have the Bill amended bo as there should be no misconception. The evident intention of the Bill was not to interfere with the existing law. He agreed that the Financial Arrangements Bill and the Land Bill should be considered together, and would have no objection to their being postponed till Monday. Mr. LUMSDEN said it should not be forgotten that the land in the various provinces was not of equal value. In some districts land would actually be cheaper at a high than in others at a low price. If land was made £2 per acre in parts of Southland it would simply make it unsaleable. He would oppose any attempt to fix a uniform price for land over the whole colony. He though cliaorimiuation should be used, for there were climatic and other conditions to be taken into account. Several other gentlemen having spoken, the debate was adjourned until Monday on the voices. Sir GEORGE GREY then stated that the Government did not propose to take the second reading of the Financial Arrangements Bill till Monday, and Mr. Sheehan moved that the House adjourn. Mr. ROLLESTON stated that himself and several other members might not have an opportunity of hearing a statement from the Government with regard to their financial proposals. Great changes were about to be made, and he trusted Ministers would make a statement that evening. • The speaker was interrupted by the adjournment hour. On resumiug at half-past seven, Mr. Rolleston said as a majority of hon. members were desirous that the House should adjourn he would not press the Government to make a statement. He, however, wished to record his protest against their proposals. The Foxton Reserves Bill was then considered in committee, read a third time and passed, and the House rose at 7.40.