PARLIAMENTARY (From "Star" Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, December 15.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 233, 17 December 1887, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY (From "Star" Parliamentary Reporter. Wellington, December 15.

Government Land Bill. Onk of the dullest sittings of this session was thai of yesterday, the Land Bill being in Committee. Very little progress was made, and so much time was spent in discussing the technical amendments that Mr ScobieMcKenzicsaid that Mr John McKenzie was delaying t'lo bill till Mr Ballance's return from Wanganui. At the same time he failed to see what claim Mr Ballance had to the land laws, except a claim of maladministration. Sir Geoige Grey proposed a number of verbal amendments, with the object of 'making the bill so simple that any man desiring to take land would be able to understand the measure without the assistance of any lawyers. An amendment agreed to was a provision that the fact of rural land being open for selection should be advertised in the papers circulating in the district, as well as in the Gazette as' originally provided. In Clause 3 the proposal of the Waste Land-* Committee to iix the price of third-class land at 5s per acre was rejected, but the Committee adopted the amendment of Mr Seymour, "That in the provincial districts of Nelson, Marlborough and Wellington the minimum of second-class land b'3 fixed at 5s per acre.'' The time for which laud can be selected was extended to 45 day* niter the notification. Efforts were made by Sir George Grey, Mr John McKen/ie, and otheis to place a limit on land open for selection under the different bystems, one reason being that the land should be kept for the poor, and another thai it was advisable to provide against dummyism. Government declined to allow any amendment to be made in the clau-so, and a proposal to limit the area a\ail ible for selection to two-thirds was negatived by a large majoiity. Government promised to consider the limit to cash purchases when clause 10 was under eonsideiation. Sir G. (*rey sought to intio'tuue in clause 5 the principal provision^ of his own bill, undei which selectors v, onhl be granted a loan of money with which to erect buildings and pro\ ide themselves with implements and twelve mouth-; rations, annual inteie-st to be charged on capitalised amount. The clause being an appropiiation one, was ini'd out ot oider. The iif th clause ot the 30 odd was can ied ata quarter to two this morning. The Government were complaining of i\c obrflructhe tactics of their opponents. More rapid progress wa-s mide after 2 a.m. Clauses five to ten woe parsed with merely verbal amendments. The declaration clause was amended so a* to secure that the purchase by proxy should only be made on behalf of ie«idenU within the colonj^. A proviso was iiise» ted that if ca^h .sales of rural land in any piu\ inoial chshict amount to £150,000 in one year no furthci sales for cash shall be made in that year. At 3 a.m., Mr. John Mcken'.ic appealed to the Government to repoit progress but their determination being to push the bill through Committee at tni^> fitting they refused, and an adjournment for ten minutes was made. The clauses went through rapidly when the Committee resumed. In Clause 21 payments to local bodies weie made to include one - fouith of the rent from lands. A Minister was authorised to pay the thirds to a Special Settlement Association in certain ciicumstances?. Mr Hobbs mo-\ed a clause giving \ illage .settlers the right ot acquiring fieehoid of their sections. Mr W. C. Smith opposed, saying if can ied it would destroy the village settlement system. Mr K. Thompson declared that unless a new clause was adopted village settlements would be deserted. The clause wa-3 e\emually postponed.

Laud Boards Clause. A proposal was made to adjourn this clause, bul was negatived on division. Government, however, promised to give a further oppoitunity ot dihcu.-^ing the question of land boards. They declined to accept the principle of elective boards. After some discussion on the question progress was reported. Mr John Mclvenzie denounced the conduct of the Government m forcing the bill through at such an hour. Mr Monk said he was astonished at the tactics of some gentlemen who benefited by the large fees from the land boards of which they were members, and who were interested in their continuance. They had used every artifice to obstruct the bill and prevent a divi&ion that would abolish the land boards. The House adjourned at 5 o'clock this morning, after sitting over seventeen hours, and -within five hours of the commencement of the next sitting. Mr McKenzie divided the House on the question of adjournment for the purpose of placing on record the names of legislators who remained at their posts of duty during the night. There were only 26 present, nearly all being country members.

New Soutn Wales Duties on New, Zealand Products. Mr Joyce is to ask Government if they have any knowledge of the formulated proposal of New South Wales Legislature, now in session, to increase their import duties on New Zealand products, and that such a proposal is hold in abeyance pending the issue of the motion on our order paper to the following effect : That an import duty of not less than 2s 6d per ton be imposed on all coal imported into New Zealand from other countries ; and will Government give the hon. member of Inangahua an early opportunity of either withdrawing the motion or having it discussed and finally settled ?

The Bunny Nuisance. The Joint Rabbit Nuisance Committee report inter^ alia that a rabbit-proof fence be erected in the Tasman Valley for forty miles forthwith, that Government join with New South Wales and other colonies in offering a bonus to the scientific world for the discovery of means for eradicating rabbits in accordance with a resolution passed at the Stock Conference held at Sydney in October, 1886, provided that no payments shall be made by this colony until the discovery has been proved to be successful for the purpose and adapted for practical use throughout New Zealand, and until the subscribing colonies have agreed that it is a success. That the Government be requested to place the* sum of £10,000 on the Estimates for a' discovery of a means of exterminating, the rabbit on similar conditions as to payment of reward as those offered by New South Wales. That the Committee desires to impress upon the Government the necessity of introducing, with as littlo delay as possible, a large number of' stoats, weasels, and martins, both for sale to settlers and for turning out on Crown lands.

Public Bpdioa' Powers Act. This measure, which was circulated lust night)} and is introduced by the, Hon. Mr

I Hislop, repealß the Public Bodies' Leaseholds Act, JBB6, and vests in certain public bodies certain powers. Authority is given to publicly let or lease for twentyone years. Any land not sold may subsequently be disposed of by private contract at a rent not less than the reserved renfc when it was offered. Leases may be surrended and new leases given at a reduced rent. Power is given to Harbour Boards to 1 permit occupation of the foreshore for the following purposes :— (1) The building or repairing Vessels of any kind. (2) The erection und use of any boatshed, landingplace or wharf. (3) The erection of baths and bath-houses, and any enclosure or fence necessary for the protection and privacy of the same. (4) Any other purpose i elating to the convenience of shipping or the public, or for any local enterprise or object on which the Governor-in-Oouncil may approve.

Uncollecte d X e venue. The amounts of revenue in each pro vincial district uncollected on the 30ih September last from goldfields, deferred payment sottlerrf, and perpetual leases were as follows : — Gold Revenue : Auckland, £2,657; Nelson, £1,097; Otago, £'4,673; Westland, £220: total, £8,647. Deferred Payment Settlers : Auckland, £1,495; Taranaki, £1,256; Hawke's Bay, i' 675; Wellington, £537; Nelson, £252; Marlborough, £10 ; Canterbury, £1,463 ; Otago. £13,472 ; Southland, £4,U57 ; Westland. £15 : total, f 23,832. Village Settlers : Taranaki, £49 ; Hawke's Bay, £23 ; Wellington, £17 ; Canterbury, £34 ; Otago, £208 ; Southland, £640 : total, £971. Pastoral Leases : Auckland, £194 ; Hawke's Bay, £41 ; Marlborough, £14 ; Canterbury, £17 ; Otago, £5,324 ; Southland, £6 : Westland, £136: total, £5,732. Grand total, £39,182.