GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2543, 17 August 1893, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. 4 The Electoral Bill was read a first time. On the motion for the second reading of the Intoxicating Liquors Supply to Children Bill, Sir Patrick Buckley characterised the Bill as having neither head, body, or tail; besides which the penalties were too heavy, and would defeat their intentions. He expressed a hope that the Bill would not be proceeded with until the proposed Licensing Bill was introduced by the Government. The Bill was supported by several members, and was read a second time. The Otago Harbour Board Empowering Bill was referred back to the Select Committee.

Fencing Aofc Amendment Bill and the Agricultural and Pastoral Bill were read a second time.

. On the motion for the third reading of the Publio Domaina Act Amendment Bill, the Bill was, on the motion of Dr Pollen, discharged from the Order Paper. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2,30 p.m. on Tuesday. BILT, passed. The Gore Electrio Lighting Bill was read a third time and passed. KEPUBSENTATrON BILL. The Premier introduced the Represent* ation Acts Amendment Bill. OHSVIOT ESTATE BILL. The Hon Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Ohaviot Estate Disposition Bill, to provide for the administration and disposition of certain land in the County of Cheviot, lately purchased by the Crown, lie held that the Government were compelled to purchase the ' estate, in order to protect the revenue of the colony. If the Government had not taken over the property, they would have had to make a reduction in its value, and the owners of other properties would then no doubt hive said that their valuations wore to> high and that reductions would hayo $q ba made. The properfcy-tax, Vidu-ifciqij of the Qhev}.ot estate, was. £304,856, or afc the rate of £3 lis 54 pw acre; but the trustees valued it at £200,220, being £44,680 less than the fond-tax who refused to make a reduction. ?ha Government had asked Mr iVlcMillan, as* a, disinterested person, to make a valuation, and be had valued it at #393,998, or £3-5,779 above that made bytti9"WUOT3, Attar getting this Yflhl-atio-i, the CU6rn:mr* nft,,R,, Ct agree id the requost of the owners to make a reduction, and they were therefore com1 to take over the estate. The I Government also thought that they were acquiring a valuable piece of land, whioh was most suitable for settlement, the climate being good, and the soil in many places of excellent character. As to the question of the disposal /if the property, he might say that he had heard on good authority that a syndicate in Christchurcb. would have taken up the whole of the property at a handsome profit to the Government. After consideration the Government came to the conclusion that the estate sh >uld bo broken up for settlement purposes. They had leased a portion of the land for six mouths at a good price, and he believed that if could have leased it for twelve months they would have received 4£ per cent, on the purchase money, which he thought would convince the House that*' - a +**aan

notion was a, guod one for the colonyThe surveying of the estate was now being rapidly proceeded with. Aa x to the disposal of the estate the Government had to consider whether the land should be sold for cash, or disposed of on perpetual lease, or lease in perpetuity ; but ho waa of opinion thae they should have a mixture of all three systems. They had, therefore provided in the Bill that onethird of the land should be sold for cash by public auction, one-third by lease in perpetuity, and the other third by lease for grazing farms. He proposed to refer the Bill to the Waste Lands Committee, and he had no hesitation in saying that the estate could be made a financial success, iu which event there would be further subdivisions. He hoped that those members who were opposed to selling any portion of the estate for cash would look at the matter from a practical point of view, and remember that it was impossible to road and survey the property out of revenue. Mr Richardson complimented the Minister for having Bpoken on this Bill in a more practical way than he had done for a long time paßt. If Mr McKenzie could have offered the whole estate at a profit of £50,000 he should have done so, and thus protected the revenue. He objected to the purchase of the estate, because the land had been under cuitivatioa before being purchased, and he held that the same amount of money would have purchased 1,000,000 acres of native land' which was at present unproductive, and would have roaded and Burveyed it. The first duty of the Government should be to deal with unoccupied land. Sir Robert Stout thought that Mr McKenzie had made out a good case for the purchase of the estate. The only point which he hoped the Waste lands Committee would consider was whether it was advisable to dispose of two-thirds of the land on freehold tenure, as the lease in perpetuity was praciically freehold. He thought that a reasonable compromise would be to alter the terms to one-third for cash, one-third on perpetual lease under the old Land Act, and one-third on lease for grazing farms. He regarded the lease in perpetuity as a perfect Bham, and he waa opposed to selling land for cash at allMr Buchanan, Mr Taylor, and Mr Robert Thompson, having spoken, Mr Rolleston said that as they were in for the purchase of this property, they must m*ke the best of it. He did not think Parliament intended that a purchase of this kind should be made. The Government had taken a great responsibility on themselves, which only time would show whether it was a prudent course or not. The Minister had said that the Government had bought the estate to protect the revenue, but there were many other cases where they had not acted in the same way to protect the revenue. He thought that there were a number of properties that might bo taken with very considerable advantage, especially those in the vicinity of railway stations. He quite agreed with Sir Robert Stout iu his objections to the lease in perpetuity. It seemed to him that the Bill gave great scope for paternalism, and that there was to be a little pet population here, who would not be subject to the ordinary laws which bound other people. Dr Newman objected to there being no provision for a sinking fund in the Bill, and Mr Meredith warmly approved of the purchase. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment, and on resuming at 7.30 ~ ,

Mr Lake, Mr Saunders, Mr Sandford, Mr Fish, Mr 0. H. Mills, Mr Duthie, Mr Bruce, Mr Fisher, Mr Harkness, Mr Joyce, Mr Thomas Mackenzie, Mr Buckland, and Mr McGuire also took part in the debate. The Minister for Lands having replied, tihe second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was referred to the Waste Lauds Committee. ARRESTING SUPPLY. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr Jackson Palmer moved as an amendment —" That the Government Bhould take over and metal the main road north of Auckland." After a short debate the amendment waß negatived on the voices. Mr Rolleßton again urged the Premier %o iudicate when the Public Works Statemeat might be looked for. Several members having Bpoken on the matter, the Premier deprecated the waßte of time that went on- He had already told the House that the Government were anxious to get certain legislation passed before the Public Works Statement was brought down. SUPPLY. The House went into Committee of Supply, for the consideration of the Estimates.

Colonial Treasurer's Department—£26,36l.— The motion was agreed to without alteration.

Customs and Marine Department—£63,67l. —The vote was under discussion when the telegraph office closed at 2 a.m