LAND LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 October 1920, Page 5

LAND LAWS.

BILL FURTHER DEBATED. THE ENDOWMENT QUESTION. By Talegr&ph.—Preu Assoclatta.

Wellington, Laai Night, . The House of Representatives sat In committal' to-night on the Laud Law* Amendment Bill.

Un clause 4, Mr. 0, Mitchell (Welliagr ton South) asked the Minister if he would include members of the New Zw: land contingents who served in SoutH Africa in the list of those to whom preference would be granted in ballot* lor land.

The Minister of Lands pointed out that the land concerned wr.s Crown land, not discharged soldiers' settlement lands, and South African veterans had full opportunity to secure land under other schemes than this one.

The amendment was rejected by $2 votes to 2fl.

The Minister stated that new sub> clauses of clause 11 were to be brouglt down dealing with the power givta to the Governor-General to declare that endowment lands are no longer endowment lands, and the method of dealing with revenue received from endowment lands, and the Bill could be recommitted on, these. K The Premier explained that it waa proposed to place such revenue under the control of the Public Trustee or a special board, and any moneys received from the sale of endowments would be re-invested in lands more suitable for endowment purposes. A great deal of the present endowment lands were quite unsuited, being of poor quality tod Itti accessible.

Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central/ called for a division on the clause, to mark disagreement with the policy oi disposing of endowment lands. This wan defeated by 88 rotes to SO. Mr. R. McCallum (Wairgu) moved an amendment to clause 23, permitting the purchase of lease-in-perpetuity lands by adding a proviso that such right of purchase he restricted to members of the Kxpeditionary Forces, unless the lands are bush or swamp lands, and then the area purchased sSould be limited to two acres.

The amendment was defeated by 36 votes to 12.

On the question that clause 23 stand as part of the Bill, Mr. Q. Witty (Riocarton) called for a division, and the clause was retained by 39 votes to 11. On clause 31, Mr. C. E. Statham (Don* edin Central) and Mr. T. M. Wilted (Leader of the Opposition) protested against sub-section 6a, which tikes away, the privilege ajsitnegg in Court enjoys,' that he need nof"answer a question if the answer .will incriminate him. They contended that the sub-clause was against all the principles of British justice. The Minister replied that the aggregation of land had become such a drastW disease that a drastic remedy must be applied. The clause was agreed to. The Bill was then reported with amendments made by the Lands Committee, and the amendments were agreed to. ' On the third reading, Mr. Guthrie assured the House that the Government intended to safeguard the pfOceeds from sales of natfonal endowment lands, and a strong clause giving effect to that decision would be brought down by Governor's message. The Bill was read a third time and passed. ,