PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 138, 29 October 1912, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night, The House met at 7.30 p.m. SHOPS AND OFFICES.

The Shops and Offices Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Labor Bills Committee. THE LAND BILL.

Mr. Massey then moved the third reading of the Land Bill. Mr. Isitt said that he was happy in the belief that the Bill would be the undoing of the men responsible for it, and it would stand on the Statute Book to their shame, a monument to their innate Toryism and of their unworthy determination to purchase votes by any and every means. Mr. Russell said that the policy of the Government in connection with land legislation had been one of tinkering, and did not conduce to the increased settlement of the land as a whole, except to a very limited extent. The granting of the freehold to holders of 33. years' renewable leases was an act of spoliation, which he believed would go down as a blot upon the legislation of the Massey Government.

A motion by Mr. Sidey to recommit the Bill for the purpose of providing that the limitation of area provision in part 13 of the Land Act, 1908, shall apply to all lands disposed of, was not discussed, and was lost by 35 to 20. Mr. Laurenson wanted to know what was the good of talking about settling lands when two-thirds of the lands in Hawke's Bay were owned by a few people. Some people thought that all that mattered were sheep, cows and horses. He objected to the Bill, because it was reactionary and put the country back twenty years.

Mr. Wilkinson urged that more encouragement should be given to the young men of New Zealand to go on bush lands. '

Mr. McCallum hoped that the Council would deal with the Bill on its merits. He had no confidence in the measure generally. Mr. Hanan said that the Bill would put to the test the professions of the Government on the land question, and he opined as time went on that they would have to undo the wrong committed under it.

In the House after midnight the discussion on the Land Bill was continued by Messrs. Hindmarsh, Atmore and Young. The debate was continued hy Messrs. Robertson, Witty and Buchanan, and the House was left sitting at 2 a.m.