PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4226, 18 July 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, Yesterday. The House met at 7.30. Mr Pilliett was introduced by Sir Geo. Grey and Mr Wynn Williams, and took his seat for Stanmore.

THE LAND BILL

Mr Pyke resumed the debate on the Laud Bill, which he warmly supported as a most valuable measure, and in principle quite in accordance with modern thought, although no legislature had yet given it practical effect. The principle was that the land was and must always remain the property of the State. Mr Fergus thought that the bill would greatly facilitate settlement on the land. Mr Weston spoke strongly against the bill generally, and criticised its provisions at considerable length. The bill was not wanted by the goldfields, and not suited to their requirements. <Mr Rolleston, who when a goldfields member went to him about a grievance, never gave anything but an evasive answer, brought this bill in as a universal panacea, and said to all who complained, "Take a lease and be happy." ' Mr Eolleston did not understand his own bill, and he (Mr Weston) doubted if he was really its parent. He severely blamed Ministers for their want of policy, of backbone, their procrastination and vacillation in letting the House drift, and members scramble over private measures. Members could get nothing from them. Unless they changed all very quickly; brought down a policy and stuck to it, so that the real business of the i country might proceed, he would feel it i his duty to do his best to turn them out of office. This day. Mr Duncan opposed the bill, and advocated a return to the deferred pay* ment system, which, with the ballot, would be far preferable to the plan proposed. It was to the auction system that any slight failure in the deferred payment system was due. Mr Steward said we could not hope to compete with other parts of the world in attracting population if we could only offer leases where they offered freehold, and without population the colony could not get on. If this bill passed, there would soon be a no-rent agitation here as there was in Ireland. No real relief was offered to deferred payment settlers. Mr Levin supported the bill as worthy of a trial.

Mr Levestam opposed the bill. If they could not sell land he would give it away, so that it was settled. He saw little difference between a rent and a land tax.

Mr Feldwick objected to the creation of powerful Crown tenantry. It would amount to a public disaster to settle land with men hopeless of ever owning it, or being quit of rent. ■ Mr Hobbs advocated the Homestead Systeaj, and opposed the leasing system very strongly. It would never attract population. Mr Trimble moved the adjournment of the debate, and at 12 50 the House rose.