INTERESTING ITEMS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 15 October 1907, Page 2

INTERESTING ITEMS.

Morey and Son advertise some special values in. women's pretty dm> ■ summer wear. Messrs. Carthcw and Co., land agents, report having sold & 31-aero property at IVII Block to Mr. E. March, also S5 acres to Mr. flarvey, of Marlon. On Saturday next, the 10th instant, Mr. Newton King will sell l>v auction at Ill's mart, Mr. R. F. Roebuck's farm *«f :fc!o acres at Okato. This property is conveniently situated on Die Main South within about one mi'e of Olc:ito, ■w] is well worth 11k ailcniion of anvoitl' waniing to puvcli.tst' a good farm. Tir :ir,i!ual meeti"g of llio IviuHahlc iSojU'OV' Sreictv Avili i'lO Ill'lll ill the Town Hall on "Wednesday evening at 7.30.

land tores. I ■»— PROGRESS OF 'THE BILL. Per Press Association. Wellington, Lasl Night. The House went into committee on ; the Land Am. raiment Bill. ! At clause 20: "With the consent of; the .Minister, the Land Board may per-j init the holder of any pasutr.ige lease j or license under part (i of the principal Act to cultivate a |.orthii or portions j of his run for the purpose of growing winter feed for the stock dependent thereon, and also to plough and lay down in grass or clear, burn, and sow in gr.ins, or surface-sow in grass, an additional area in addition to 300 acres; such additional area to be specially valued in the same manner as is provided by section 201 of the principal Act at the termination of the lease or license, and the value of such improvements as determined by valuation to be paid over by the incoming lessee to the outgoing lessee as is therein provided; notwithstanding that the limit of compensation prescribed by that section may be thereby exceeded," Sir W. J. Steward moved to strike

out the words "not exceeding 3000," but subsequently withdrew the amendment. Mr. Flatman then moved to insert after "not exceeding," "except in the case of clearing, burning, sowing in grass, or surface-sowing in grass." He contended that ph-vghlng in these cases

had proved a failure, it destroyed the A tussock and. made it .necessary to plough every three years. tl Mr. Massey urg-'d that runholdcrs n should not be limited for this purpose to 3000 acres, as they could not frame a clause to meet all parts of the colony. He added that in the North Island it < was absolutely necessary to plough be- 1 fore sowing'for grass. Mr. Rutherford urged that great good . could be done by grassing the back country. Ho added that for these runs wdiat was required was freehold security I of tenure, with periodical improvements. He contended, however, that so far as ploughing was concerned the less this was resorted to the better, as experience had proved that the grass died down in three years and left the ground in a worse condition than before ploughing. Mr. T. Mackenzie said great benefit would be derived from grassing the back country. Subsequently, with the permission of the committee, Mr. Flatman altered his amendment so ns to limit the area which a lessee may plough and sow in grass to 3000 acres, and to remove the restriction of area in regard to clearing, burning, and sowing in grass and sur-face-sowing in grass. The amendment was agreed to on the voices. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved to strike out tile words, '''notwithstanding that the limit of compensation prescribed by that section may be thereby exceeded," and the following words substituted:— "In addition to the value of improvements provided for by that section." This was agreed to on the voices. Sir W. J. Steward moved a number of amendments which, however, Mr. McNab stated were provided for under the Bill, and the amendments were rejected on the voices. Clause 30, with amendments, then passed. Clause 40, relating to the depasturing of stock on Crown lands, passed by 01 votes to 14. At clause 40a (subclause I)—"the Board may, with the approval of the ' Minister, lease by auction for growing, ', cutting, or removing (lax, any area not exceeding 2000 acres for a term not exceeding fourteen years, at such upset yearly rental as may be determined by \ the Board"— ;■ Mr. Herries said he understood no ; royalties could be paid to local bodies. He hoped the Minister would consider ' the question of amending the Act so as ' to give local bodies a portion of the ' revenue, as if the clause was a success \ in regard to the Pinko swamp there was \ no doubt a large, sum of money would ; have to be spent on roads. ' Mr. McNab said he had considered the J question. He, however, thought it would be as well to await the result of the experiment;, and until it could be seen what was required, as to the Piako swamp he thought the expenditure on the roads should be reduced to a minimum, and that carriage would be by train or river. He had seen launches twenty miles up the Piako river which were going direct to Auckland, and he had also seen vessels loading miles up the river which were fit to go to Aus- ( tralia. 1 Mr. Massey objected to subclause 2, ! giving the Board the fixing of renewal 1 for a second term. He thought it should ' be fixed by valuation. Subclause 3, lie ' added, made the Bill apply to land re--5 quired under the Lands for Settlement i Act, lint he objected to the Crown puri chasing laud for (lax-growing. Mr. McNab said that until they had ■ disposed of the vast quantity of stagi nant water in the Piako swam]) they would not dispose of any temporary , rights in the swamp. I Mr. Poland moved an amendment to subclause 1 of clause 40a, to provide for I leases for llax-growing, cutting, etc., being for a term of 21 years. Tlie amendment was rejected by 4(> to 20. Mr. Massey said he thought, rent should be. fixed by arbitration in the ' case of an old tenant renewing his lease, ' and by auction in the case of a new ' tenant. He moved, "That the rent be " fixed by arbitration." The amendment was negatived by 48 to 18, and clause 40 then passed. (Left sitting.)