The Native Land Bill. Wellington, Friday.

Waikato Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1727, 31 July 1883, Page 2

The Native Land Bill. Wellington, Friday.

The Native Land .Bill has been drafted and revised by Chief Judge Macdonald, so that it may now be said to have reached the form in which it will be presented to Parliament. It will be introduced for second reading on Tuesday. All manner of vague reports arc in circulation to the effect that Government purchase of these lands is to be again resorted to. It is known that a change in that direction would have suited the views of Southern members, who are naturally enough getting alarmed at the progress of settlement in the North Island, and would be only too glad to resort almost any reasonable method for checking it: Another version is that heavy penal clauses will be enacted against persons interfering with natives for the sale or lease of their lands until the title to the same had been ascertained by the court. The last named rumour 16 I understand is the most correct one. The whole tendency of the new bill will be to discourage these transactions, pending the adjusment of the title, but instead of penal clauses rather heavy pecuniary fines will be provided for breaches of the law. In other respects it is said to be a most conservative measure, but not objectionably so.

Progress of- the Session. To-night's paper has it that the session will close in about three weeks. There is a good deal to favour the conclusion that this opinion will not be far out. The only obstacle to a solution of all known difficulties is Sir G. Grey's motion for a return to the land and income tax. By mutual consent it will come on for debate ou Tuesday, when Major Atkinson moves the second reading of his new Property Tax bill. That disposed of the Estimates will be run through very quick, and with their adoption the end will have nearly come. It has been a most insipid session, there has been no excitement, and barely any speculation. Debates have gone on in a slow style, members being more in the character of men who had an appearance to keep up rather than a duty to perform. The gallery audiences are the only things that keep up to the mark, although it would be difficult to imagine what they cau find to interest them.