PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXV, Issue 181, 14 August 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE!. W*d*»hu.t, August 13. BHUOE POLL VALIDATION. After the Telegraph Office closed Mr Dutbi-'s amendment was negatived by 45 to 25. Mr Br McKmiie then moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr James Allen protested egtinet this course being adopted. Mr Seddon in supporting the adjournment said that until the Oonrti had finally dealt with these eases it would be unwise for the Honse to fa* erfere. Tbe Government would eeiie he first opportunity of dealing with he matter, and an Electoral Bill covering tbe subject was already prepired. The motion for the Adjournment of he debate was lost by 85 to 24, Mr Allen, in replying, expressed h'u willingness to convert hie Bill into a Bill to allow a seoond poll in all these cases.

Tbe second reading was negatived by 36 to 20. The House rose at 1.35 a.m. T&tosdat, August 18. The House met at 2.80 p.m. The Lyttelton Harbour Board Bill, and Canterbury College and Canterbury Agricultural Uollege Amendment Bill were read a first time. BEPLIM TO QUMTIOTII. In reply to questions, Minister! stated that efforts would be made to (insure the provisions of the Dairy Industry Act being carried out satisfactorily ; that before Government assistwee was given to the fruit growing and preserving industry, it would be necessary to pass tbe Orchards and Garden Ptsts Bill, so that orobaids might be protested from the ravages of the codlin moth and other pasts; that it was intended to bring in a Land Bill this session, but in this session at any rate no legislation would be introduced to enable lease in perpetuity tenants to acquire the freehold. When all tbe questions on the order paper had been disposed of, the adjournment of the House was moved by Mr Moss, who traversed the answer to • question relating to the Paeroa leaseholds. The House rose at 5,30 p.m. Evbkisq Srrmra. The House resumed at 7.80 p.nT BUSH AND SWAMP USDS. Hon, T. Y. Duncan moved the second reading of the Bash and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Bill. He gave as a reason for not bringing down a general Land Bill, that it would be difficult to get such a Bill through, and it was advisable to deal with this ■ question separately The Bill was designed to enable settlers to get on bush swamp and scrub lands without having to b n ar a severe tax for the first few years of their occupation, Mr Massey did not think the Bill went far enough as it did not apply to all Crown lands rf the colony. It wet at the discretion of Ministers as to what land should be brought under the operation of the Act, and they would therefore have in the same district one set of tenants paying rent for four years and another set who were not. If the colony was going to settle a lot of second-class land in the North Island, it would have to go back to the Act of 1877, whioh was much more liberal in its provisions. Hon J. McGowan said the Bill Wti required to encourage settlement and develop lands that were lying idle. It would provide an opportunity for tbe settler who had not large means to tile over the time until he had brought thftt land into cultivation. The Bill war more to the benefit of the country settler than any measure brought in fjr some time.

Mr Witheford strongly aondemned the administration cf the Land Department, and moved as an amendment that the land administration of Ida Government is unsatisfactory anil Ministerial change is desirable. Mr Herries seconded the amendment.

Mr Bollard regarded the Bill as ft step in the right direction. Mr Seddon thought it was ft little too much to have a no confidence vote each eight. He believed Mr Witheford was scarcely serious in his amendment which was not received seriously. It was the ou'orae of friotion between Mr Witheford and Mr Duncan and the House should not be called upon to vote on it. He urged Mr Witheford now that he had Moomplished the object of drawing attention to the administration of the Land Department to withdraw the amendment. Speaking to the Bill, Mr Seddon said there must be seme alteration in the ballot system. The advice of the exfcutivj officers was being sought and it was intended to submit this to the Waste Lands Com* mittee who would report to the House' to this effect. An amendment to the Lind Aot would have to be brought down. There was in the North Inland a large quantity of poor land wbioh would never be settled under present conditions, and inducements mutt bo offered. Sir W. Russell said this was another example of pieoemeal legislation of wbioh be did not approve. He supported the auction instead of the'billot system which he condemned. In a personal explanation Mr Beddon said the Consolidating Land Bill consisted of 324 clauses, what chaooe was there of getting through the Shaping and Seamens Bill, Licensing BUI, and G&noral Land Bill in the same session ?

Mr Major supported the Bill. Hon. 0. H. Mills said the MicUtw of Lands was working in the right direction, and would h»ve the thank! of many would-be settlers. Mr Symes heartily approved of the Bill, He considered (hat auction mi worse than the ballot, and oould not suggest any improvement. Nominated Land Boards should be done away witW Messrs Ling and Wood spoke. ** Mr Rutherford advocated the system ~ of tender instead of the ballot and the auction. Under the tender system a man could sit; down and work out what the land was worth to him. Mr. Bu'-h man .considered the Bill should l<o m.'tde general in its application to tlio class of land it proposed to deal with.

Mr. O'Meara would like to see (ha Bill made retroactive, so as to apply to the pioneer settlers iu the back block*. (Left Sitting.)