GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1368, 21 July 1885, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. In answer to Mr Menzies, who asked what amount of agricultural and dairy produce had been exported during the last three months to Rio Janeiro, the new and promising market opened to settlers in this colony by the establishment of a steam service to the United Kingdom by way of Magellan Straits, the Hon. the Colonial Secretary produced a return showing the total value to be £2133. Mr Chamberlain moved—“ That this Council is of opinion that New Zealand desires and requires a protective policy,” He spoke briefly in support of protection and the encouragement of local industries, and advocated that revenue should be raised by the taxation of property.— Colonel Brett formally seconded the motion, which was at once pul to the vote and negatived without a division. The Council went into Committee on the Christchurch Loan Validation Bill, which was afterwards read a third time and passed. The School Committees Election Bill and Amendment Bill were received from the House of Representatives and read a first time. The Council adjourned at 3.5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, Replying to questions, Ministers said : That Government had not received any applications for an endowment fo* the Lyttelton Harbor Board ; that the gaol hospital, police station, and surgeon’s residence at New Plymouth will be connected by telephone; that Government were making enquiries into the danger that is said to exist of communication being interrupted by the Manawatu river breaking through the road at the southern end of Ngawaru bridge ; that Government did not think it would be wise to allow the use of private stills in New Zealand for the manufacture of spirits of wine; that free passes over the railways were not granted to the canvassers for the Government Life Assurance Association, and (he amount of such passes credited to the Railway Department; that steps would be taken to carry out judge Davy’s suggestions re sub-Inspector Sutton as soon as a suitable appointment is available ; that a return ordered by the House in 1884 showing amounts paid to Crown Prosecutors during the year ended 31st March 1884, etc., was being prepared ; that Government would take the necessary steps to move the Governor to apply to the Sacretary of State for a copy of correspondence wh.ch passed in 1862, regarding the claims of certain Maoris in the South Island, the colonial record of which was lost in the White Swan.

The Hod. Sir Julius Vogel moved that this House will on Friday next resolve itself into a Committee of the whole to consider the following resolution “That Government be requested to negotiate fora fresh mail service between Auckland and San Francisco for five years, at a cost not exceeding £30,000 per annum.” Mr Rolleston asked whether the Hon. Sir Julius Vogel would before the motion came on supply the House with a return showing the monthly cost of the direct mail service and the San Francisco service. He said it was important the House should have full information on these points before the proposal was considered. —The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel said he would endeavor to obtain the information, and would postpone the motion till Friday next, Mr Moss moved for a return of telegraph and post-office clerks who have been more than five years in the service aud whose salaries are under £l3O per year, with the salary of each respective clerk.—Agreed to. The Hon. Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Land Bill. Ha said a great necessity had existed for the consolidation of the land laws of the colony and that there had been no such measure introduced since 1877. The present Bill was chiefly a consolidation measure principally based on the land laws as they already existed. He trusted the Bill would receive from the Waste Landa Committee such care and attention as the

Land Act of 1877 had received. Ha thought that that Land Act had been very beneficial to' the coun'ry. The main object they should have in view was to get bona fide settlers on the lands of the colony, and to keep them there. This question of keeping the people on the land was surrounded by great difficulty, and notwithstanding the efforts at legislation in this direction for years past, it had been a total failure. He thought the system of perpetual leasing had been successful ; he believed there was nothing in the world to equal the system. He was of opinion they should not confine themselves to one particular system, but allow all systems a fair trial. He thought it was better for a laborer to have a ten-aere holding in the neighborhood of a large centre than to be compelled to live in the back streets of a city. He contended the special settlement system had been a failure, although he was not prepared to blame the Minister who introduced that system. He advanced several reasons in support of his argument. With regard to surveys, he proposed te give power for them to be made by contract by qualified men. He was strongly in favor of the operation of the ballot in the sales of lands, and contended that nothing had tended more to make the deferred payment system a failure than the system of sales by auction which had prevailed. With regard to small runs, provision had been made in the Bill for catting them up. and leasing them, which he considered would be very advantageous. It appeared to him that a large quantity of land in the North Island was only suitable for small runs, and in Canterbury and Otago it might be advisable to cut up large blocks into smaller runs. As to endowments, he thought the time had come when a large portion of the endowments of the colony should be brought under what he might term “ settlement conditions." He also considered that the administration of the educational reserves in the past had been found by experience to be anything but satisfactory. If they were to make any progress in the future they must see that the land should carry as many people as it was capable of carrying. There was a strong desire that the system of capitalisation should be extended, and he saw no reason why, at the end of one year, the principle of capitalisation should not be allowed. The new provisions in the Bill in hia opinion were calculated to largely increase the powers of Government in administering the land, and he thought the time had come when this legislation should be effected. Mr Rolleston said the Hon. Mr Ballance was to be congratulated on the speech he had made. It showed that he had a very earnest desire to administer the waste lands of the Crown in a satisfactory manner. It seemed to him that the whole question should be considered under three heads, viz.—First, the settlement of the land; secondly, revenue; and thirdly, the manner of communication and opening up the lands by roads. He agreed with the mover that what they wanted was fixity of tenure. As regarded pastoral land, he thought the pastoral tenants had in the past been made the subject of a political battle ground. One of the main points of consideration was whether the land should remain to be used for pastoral purposes. The question of the best means of obtaioing the most revenue should also bo considered. It seemed to him they should have some certainty as regarded their land legislation, and not leave it to the Governor-m-Council to determine. With respect to agricultural lauds, he was willing to see the utmost variety in dealing with then so as to promote the settlement of bom fide occupiers. He agreed with most of whai had fallen from the Hon. the Minister of Lands when introducing the Bill; it was evident that in many respects he took the same line of thought of the settlement of the land as he (Mr Rolleston) had in his careful study of the question. If they were to have a large system of land endowments, they must not increase the number of Land Boards. The system of perpetual leasing he thought would work together with the Public Trust Office, and would secure the application of funds from the land leased in the most desirable manner. The subject of perpetual leasing had occupied his attention a good deal, and it was a great gratification to him to find from the Crown lands report that the system had been found to possess more virtues than it was credited with. With regard to the special settlement scheme, he would introduce a clause to do away with it. The debate on this subject lasted some time. The majority of those who spoke upheld the Bill, including that part of it regarding perpetual leasing, Ultimately the Bill passed its second reading on the voices. 0 The Stamp Act Amendment Bill, and the Deceased Persona Duties Act Amendment Bill, were read a second time. The debate on the Counties Act Amendment Bill was then resumed. Mr. Rolleston said there was considerable difference of opinion in the town districts as to the proposition with regard to counties. He thought some clause should be inserted to define the main road passing through town districts. Mr Walker said the annoyance felt at having two rates struck was very great. He thought there should be only one rating body. Several other members having criticised the measure, the second reading was carried on the voices, and the House, rose at 1.30 a.m.