HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5176, 19 August 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Yesterday,

The House met at23o,

Mr MacArtbur gave notice to ask whether Government had received any intimation from the Agent^General as to the probability of his resignation : if so, whether he can hare entered into negotiations with any other persons to fill the office.

Sir George Grey gave notice to ask Go* vernment to-morrow if they intend to undertake the construction of the East and West Coast railway so as to connect Chmtcburch and Hokitika.

Replying to question*, it was stated that tie pay of Auckland firemen had not been reduced.

A long discussion ensued on the motion that the resolutions from Committee of Supply be reported to the House.—Major Atkinson contended that Mr Ballance had not shown where the. promised saving of £14,000 from the other departments was to come from.—Mr Ballance said he had already proved that in Committee. He defended his conduct of the Native Department at some length, and said his administration of it had been as economical as that of bis predecessor. Mr Tole moved the third reading of the Coroners Act 1867 Amendment Bill, which was agreed to, and the bill passed.

The Hon. J. Ballance moved the committal of the Land Bill, and in doing so said be thought the amendment made in the bill by the Waste Lands Committee bad improved it. He then detailed the nature of the amendment made. The bill was one of the most important of the session, and time would not be wasted in fully discussing the measure.—Sir G, Grey thought Mr Ballance did not understand the amendments made by the Committee. His own opinion was that the Crown lands were the property of all. He contended that under this bill the most onerous conditions were imposed, not only on the deferred payment settler?, but on villagers, settlers, and small farmers. Government should have imposed a land tax, which would have removed.the evils he complained of. Government should buy up some of those large estates which were heavily mortgaged, and let them out on perpetual leases.—Mr Stout agreed that Crown lands should be the property of all, but not without payment, as sug» gested by Sir G. Grey. Sir G. Grey was opposed to the perpetual leasing system, and yet he advocated that system in his speech. The member for Auckland City Ea-t had prevented the imposition of a land tax. by the manner in which he bad gone about the country speaking on the tax. He (Mr Stout) contended that all hopes of a land tax were delayed for years by the action taken. So far as he could see, Sir G. Grey had not mastered the bill.—Mr J. McKenzie thought tbe bill of great value, inasmuch as it repealed 26 statutes, and he strongly supported the motion for committal.—Mr Stewart hoped that if the bill passed it would remain on the Statute Book for a number of years, and not be subject to the alterations which were constantly being made in the land laws.—The motion for committal was carried on the voices.—ln clause 5, the amendment was carried to bring the Act into operation on the Ist of November, instead of the Ist of October. Clause 12 was amended so as to provide that the Governor»in-Counoil may assign or change names of places or localities.

This day

In clause 28, providing that a breach of the Land Act should be punishable by imprisonment, Mr Stewart moved that the penalty be £50 or three months' imprisonment. The amendment was lost, and the clause amended by making the penalty extend to persons wilfully breaking the Statute. On clause 34, providing for the establishment of Land Boards, a long discussion resulted, aud several times motions were proposed to report progress ; ultimately olauses 34 to 41, inclusive, were postponed; clauses 42 to 48 inclusive, which related to the conduct of business by boards, were agreed to, and at 1.40 a.m. progress was reported, and the House rose.