PARLIAMENT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXII, Issue 8962, 30 October 1907, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Per Press Association. . . ' Wellington, October 29. In the Council, which met at 7.30 p.m , the Firo Brigades Bill was read a third time aud passed. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Land Laws Amendment Bill and tho debate pro ceeded. ? ..,, The CortneiUdjourncd at o p.m. till 8 p.m.

House of Representatives,

Per Press Association. "Wellington, October 29. The House met at 7.30. _ In the House of Representatives tne Hon. Mr Carroll gave notice to introduce the Maori Land Settlement Bill. Oue week's leave of absenco was granted Mr Lethbridge on account of lll Tho S ' House went into Committee on the National Endowment Bill. Mr Ma*sey moved an amendment to the schedule to reduce the total area from 9,000,000. to 4,0Q0,000 acres. Speaking to the amendment he said the area proposed under the Bill was unreasonable and unnecessary He. urged that , settlement 'outfit to, be encouraged; ■ and that was his objoct in moving the amendment These endowments would not bo the slightest use to education and old ago pensions, provision tor which would always be made by the

i House in the ordinary way. Tho Premier pointed out tliat an amendment proposed by tho Leader of tho Opposition during the discussion "of the clauses of tho Bill, it carried, would have had .tho effect that thero would have been no endowment system. He added that tho effect of the present amendment would ho to exclude, in to the area submitted by Mr Massey, the small grazing runs. . r Mr Massey characterised the endowment proposals as absolute nou- ' sense. The proposals crippled the possibilities of successful settlement of laud? in future The amendment was negatived by i Mr Houston moved an amendment i to omit all 54 blocks contained in tho schedule situated m the Bay of Islands electorate. Mr Mauder, in supporting tno amendment, said lands in the, JSorth Island wero totally unlit for tho purposes of the Bill. Mr Baumo urged that reduction

should ba made in the area set apart iu Auckland under the provisions ot the Bill. , , Mr Mauder, m supporting tno ameudiuont, said the proposals or tnc Bill were altogether against settlement in the district. The amendment w»s negattived by Mr Masscv moved to omit certain areas in tho Waitemata electorate: This was negatived by 39. to 21, . Messrs Mauder, Massey, and Berries moved to strike out certain blocks in their electorates.—All negatived. . , Mr Massey again protested against the inclusion ot land fit for closer settlement in the endowments. ' The House adjourned at 5.30. The House resumed at T.'dO. Mr Jennings continued tho moving of amendments. Ho moved tostrike out all the endowment blocks in Jus electorate.— Negatived by 96 to 21. Mr W. Fraser said some ot the laud taken out of the original schedule iu Otago were most suitable for close settlement, but there was much land included in the endowment proposals in his electorate that was suitable for closer settlement. He did not intend to point out any particular block or to move any amendment, as it would be useless. He intended, however, to record Jus voto against tho Bill. Mr " Thompson said he did not think that seven, million acres was too much for the Crown to retain, and together with renewable leases, he did not think niue milliou acres

too much. Mr Fraser said it was D3cau?e tue endowment scheme was a sop thrown to the leasehold members of the House that he was opposed to the Gilh It was Slot Intended for endowment -purposes", [and would prevent the settlement of lands. The Premier pointed out that a large area of 51)1,000 acres had been sot apart in Otago for endowment purposes, and held for over 80 years without complaint. He added that though thero was a large area in Southland reserved for endowment purposes, not a single complaint had boon made iu regard to the area set apart. Mr W. Fraser said the lends referred to by the Premier were education endowments, and weie leased with ;tho right of purchase-. H the proposals contained iu the present Bill had some such provision, much Of the objection to the proposals would not exist. . Mr Graham protested against the arna that was set apart in the Nelson land district, and contended that if the proposals were carried the Government would be perpetuating the stagnation that had existed. Ho moved to reduce the area of 1,000.000 acres proposed to be set apart in the Nelson land district by 301,000 acres.

Mr Hardy hoped the amendment would not be carried, as Mr Graham had ooposecl Mr Massey's amendment to reduce the total area by ouehalf. He added that with the exception of one amendment, when the land concerned was getting nearer Mr Graham's own electorate, ho had opposed every amendment, and consequently his inconsistency was very remarkable. Mr Graham said this was the only amendment that had been moved referring to the South Island. The" amendment was negatived by 39 to 5. Mr Remington moved to reduce the area in the Raugitikei electorate. Ho pointed out that of the 90,000 acres proposed in the original Bill nothing had been taken off, but on the contrary the small grazing runs would now bo included. The ameudoment was ne.gativod,by 36 to 2. Mr Svmes moved an amendment to strike 'out certain blocks in the Patea electorate.—Negatived by 40 to 31. Mr Seddou proposed .an amendment to rediice the'area.set apart in Westland from 770,000 acres to 517.000 acres—Negatived by 38 to 11. Mr Duncan moved to reduce the area in Otago from 1,500,000 to 1,000,000 acres.—Negatived by 37 to 22.

Mr James Allen moved to strike out the Bonmoro run, included in tho Otago area, and Burwood- in the Southland district. These runs wero included in the Otago University endowments. Tho Premier explained that neither of the runs was included in the schedule. Mr James Allen accepted the explanation, and with drew the amendment. The schedule was then added to the Bill bv 36 votes to 22. Ayes, 36—E. G. Allen, Arnold, Barber, Barclay, Buddo, Colvin, Ell, Fisher, Fowlds, A, L. D. Frnrrv, Gray, Hanan, Heke, Hogan, }'Ugg. Hornsby, Izard, Kidd, Laurensou, La wry, McGowan, T, McKenzie, Millar, Ngata, Parata, Poland, Poole, Seddon, Sidey, Stall* worthy, Steward, Tanner, Thomson, Ward, Witty, Wood. Noes, 22: James Allen, Bollard, Duncan, Field, W. Eraser, Graham, Greenslado, Hardy, Horries, Houston, Jennings, Lang, Lewis, Malcolm, Marnier, Massoy, Okey, Reid, Remington, Ross, Symcs, Wilford. Tho Premier then moved tho promised sub-section to Clause 2, definitely limiting the total area of endowment lauds to nine million 1 Mr'Massoy said ho felt disposed to move to reduce the amouut, but after the divisions which had been taken ho would let it go. Tho now sub-clause was passed without discussion, and the amendments as a wholo agreed' to. Tho third roadiug of the Bill was sot down for to-morrow. Tho Laud and Income Tax Bill (annual measure) was put through all its stages. The House adjourned at 10.30.