HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4218, 8 July 1882, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Yesterday. Under clause 181 of the Standing Orders, a member absenting himself from Parliamentary duties for one week was guilty of contempt, and could be fined £50.

The following bills were read a second time : — Lunatics, Friendly Societies, Education Districts, Education Reserves Act Amendment, Mining Companies Registration Validation (Dick). In committee, the Aliens Act' Amendment Bill was considered.—Mr Seddon moved that the fee for naturalization be reduced to 2a 6d. Carried. —Mr Pyke moved that a new clause to the effect that Chinese be excluded from the operations of the Act. The Committee divided, ayes, 40; noes, 16. » Progress was reported on the Aliens Bill.

LAND ACT BILL. Mr Bolleston moTed the secodd reading of the Land Act Amendment Bill, pointing out the great importance of the land question all the world over, but dealing specially with his practical experience of the land of this colony. :He~seviewed past legislation on the subject, highly complimenting Mr Donald Reid on his efforts to liberalise the land laws of the colony. He quoted from the Crown Lands Report to show the results of the present law on the I subject of deferred payment, and maini tamed the necessity for continuing this ' system under improved regulations. The question was as between establishing a tenantry of the money-lender, or a-tenan-try of the Crown. The present bill was to do the latter, and to stop the abuses incidental to the former, which had grown op under the present law. If agricultural settlement on the gold fields was to go on, a power such as he proposed in the bill must be given to lease land, with power of resumption for mining purposes when required, and also the neces* sity for provision as to reparation rights. Practical experience showed this, that the mining industry was the main one in parts of the colony, and the bill proposed to give doe protection to them. Under the bill any man who knew how to occupy land profitably could obtain and settle on it without the assistance of the money-lender. He dwelt on the necessity for all endowment reserves being ad* ministered by the Lands Department instead of by a variety of. irresponsible bodies. With regard to the relief of deferred payment settlers he objected to individuals having to come before a court and plead" pbveirty for relief; what the bill proposed wa9 to offer all an exchange of tenure, which they could accept with advantage to the State. He defended the policy of the nominated Waste Lands Boards, and in reference to the case of Poverty Bay, he proposed to provide for the periodical sittings of a Waste Lands Board there, instead of making a separate district. He earnestly trusted that the bill would be passed. Mr J. Buchanan believed Mr Rolleston was honestly desirous of well administering the lands of the colony. He, however, was prepared to go far beyond Mr Rolleston, and give every settler who would occupy the land a fair section of it at a mere nominal price. The price was as nothing when compared withthesettlement of the land. He would give the land at a cost of registration and survey only, giving no powers of mortgage, and compelling occupation. When the bill came before the Waste Lauds Committee he would endeavor to amend it in this direction.

Mr Kelly spoke generally in support of the bill.

Sir Geo. Grey blamed the Government for having forced deferred • payment settlers to pay exorbitant rates at auction by not opening up enough land to meet the demand. To now abandon the system of selling freeholds would be to give additional and unfair advantages to those who had already acquired large freehold estates by improper means. The leasehold provisions were impracticable, and the conditions proposed to be imposed on tenants were harsh and unconstitutional, as the bill would be an injustice to the natives, and its whole tendency was to inflict injury on them. He would support the second reading, but in Committee would try to waken up the Government to the necessity for a more liberal measure. The pastoral lands should be thrown open on deferred payments. They should look for revenue not to land sales, but to a land tax. ; Mr M. W. Green supported'the bill generally at considerable length.

This day. The debate continued on Land Bill. Mr Bathgate warmly congratulated Mr Bolleston on the Bill, which if passed into law would be held to be a blessing to the country. He denied the existence of what was termed earth-hunger in this colony, and thought people would be quite satisfied with leasehold on reasonable terms instead of freehold. On the motion of Mr Sutton the debate was adjourned. On the motion of Major Atkinson, it was resolred the Government business take precedence on Wednesday for the rest of the session. The House rose at 11.30.