NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 28 October 1907, Page 2

NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

PROPOSED AI|QA 11EDUCED. PROGRESS 01-' THE DEBATE. A LIVELY PASSAGE. Wellington, Friday. The National Endowments Bill was considered in committee liy the House ol Representatives this evening. Mr Lang moved an amendment that the short title should be the "Land Nationalisation and Leasehold Act. Mr Merries, in speaking to the amendment, said endowments had never been successful in any country. ■Mr Marnier said Mr Lang had made a somewhat vicious attempt to strangle the Bill before it was christened, and lie felt a vicious desire to assist him. Mr Massey said he could not understand the silence on the other side of the

The Premier said he did not propose to discuss the Bill at this stage. He desired to get to clause 2, when_ he would make Ins proposals known. There had been no arrangement of any kind, he said, between the Government and the members of the Honse on the Bill. An amendment would be proposed when he cot to the proper clause, and though he did not expect the Opposition members to agree to it, he thought the general body of members would do bo. There were all essentials of a row shortly after midnight. _ Mr Lang's amendment was rejected

bv 43 to 13. 'when Sir Joseph Ward thereupon refused to> adjourn, Mr Massey said the Premier was not using that side of the House fairly. He was using his force to crush the minority. "We are not going to bo crushed," _he said. "There are men on this side of the House as tough as any on that." From that point the fun, began. Mr Massey said that Sir Joseph Ward liad told him that afternoon that he intended to propose amendments. This the Premier denied, and he added that in future he would be very careful what be said in the Opposition Whip's room. Mr Massey, however, declared that lie could bring a witness to confirm his version of the statement by the Premier. Sir Joseph Ward: "If you do I will ] have to use a very short word to him. If I tola the Leader of the Opposition and liia witness what I proposed, let liim state it now." Mr Massey: "I can repeat what you told me." Sir Joseph Ward: "I challenge the hon. member to state the amendment." Mr Massey: "Ifo'u told me in the pre- . sence of Mr Okey that you were going : to strike out everything but grazing

runs.'" Sir Joseph Ward: "That is absolutely anil utterly contrary to fact. Nothing of the kind is proposed. It has never been suggested." Mr Okey: "I was in the room before lunch time. The Premier came into the whip's room and referred to the Bill that was passed this afternoon. The Leader of the Opposition made a statement, and the Premier made a further statement that the Bill would go through much easier. He referred to the land that would lie in the schedule being grazing runs." This concluded the serious part of the debate; but, it was not till a few minutes later that the atmosphere was regarded as clear. The debate continued after midnight. Mr Masscy moved to report progress, as the House did not appear to be in a humor for work.—Negatived. Clause 1 title clause was passed as amended.

Clause 2—"The Crown land described in Parliamentary paper Cl2 and hereinafter set apart as a permanent endowment for the purposes of education and old-age pension." The Premier intimated that lib would move the following sub-clauses:— In addition to the Crown land described in the schedule hereto, the area of national endowment land shall include all the Crown land (not being land subject to the Settlement Consolidation, Act, 1000)., .which on the passing of the Act, or at any time thereafter is held under a renewable lease in accordance with the provisions of part 1 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1907, or under lease as a small grazing run under the provisions of part 4 of the Land Act, 1892; and all such land shall be or become and shall at all times thereafter remain subject to the provisions of this Act according-

iyThe Premier explained that the areas proposed in the new amendments were less than those previously proposed. The following would he tlie areas in the following districts:—Nelson 1,000,009 acres, Marlborough 330,000 acres, \V estlaud 770,000 acres, Canterbury 1,330,000 acres, Otago 1,685,000 acres, Southland 070,000 acres. The total area would ba, apart from small grazing runs, some 7,000,000 acres, of which some 5,000,000 acres were in the South Island. Mr Massey contended that the new clause justified all the opposition that had been offered to the Bill. He added that if anything was wanted to kill tlio renewable lease, it was the proposal included in the new clause. He bad thought the renewable leases would be popular, but this proposal would make Ihcm unpopular, and settlers would go in for occupation with right of purchase. He added that the proposals were too important to be deiilt with hurriedly, and lie was opposed to dealing with tliem that night. Hon. E. McNab explained that in ( addition to the 7,000,000 acres there were existing small grazing runs and small grazing runs to come into occupation.

The X'remier agreed to postpone consideration of clauses 2 and 3. Clause 4—"National endowment land shall be administered as Crown lands except where expressly provided under this Act."—d'assed unamended. Clause S—"(1) The gross revenue received from national endowment land after March 31st, 1908, shall be paid by the receiver of land reVnue into the public account to the credit of a separate account to be called the National Endowment Account; (2) All revenue received from endowment land on or before 31st March, 1008, shall be dealt with as if the Act has not been passed." This was passed unamended. Clause G provided that the cost of administration of national endowments shall be paid out of an endowment account; also all sums now payable by law out of revenues so received from that land to any local or public authorities.—The clause was passed unamended.

Clause 7 provides that 70 per cent of the national endowment moneys shall be applied for the purposes of education and 30 per cent for old-age pensionsPassed unamended. Clause 8, !), 10 and 11 (machinery clauses) were paaed unamended. Progress was reported, and the House adjourned at 3 a.m.