PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2208, 11 October 1907, Page 1

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Press Association,

I Tlio Council anet at 2.30 Ip.in. LAND and income tax bill. I Tho Attorney-General moved the I second reading of the Land and Income Assessment Bill, which, he ex- | plained, had three objects, viz., the I increase of graduated taxation, prevention of evasion of tax, and subd-i- ---| vision of largo estates. He -proceeded to explain the operation of the land tax in similar terms to those by which the Bill was introduced in tho other House. He declared that, the operation of the Bill would be for tho benefit of N.Z. as a whole. I Barge holdings were not in the interest of the colony, and the Bill itself was the best working compromise that could be arrived at, and -it was far in advance of previous legislation. . iMr. Sinclair said that nothing but I interest .in the public weal could have promoted such legislation -as was now proposed. Referring to what had taken place in older lands, he averred that the peasant and hardy laborer, once the backbone of Eng- I land, now existed in greatly reduced numbers. It was the men who owned laud who had .most to do with making the land laws. In his opinion the land bore a very moderate share of its legitimate burden of taxation.The attempt to have land held in small areas was a wise one.

Mr. Paul did not see any certainty of the Bill fully carrying out its alleged object, v-iz., the bursting up of large estates. Ho preferred the principle embodied in last year’s Bill, which prevented a man holding ail estate beyond a specified value. If the Bill did not achieve its object some othor means must he adopted to -bring about the reduction of such estates.

Mr. McCardle said lie, with those who took the -moderate view in the matter of land legislation, had always been in favor of closer settlement, and it pained him to seo set-

tiers in .some parts slowly passing off their holdings, -which went into the hands of big landholders, He thought there should bo a distinct limitation of area. It was in tho highest interest of tho countrv that capitalists should be iprevented from buying up and depopulating the country. Air. Scotland said this was ono of many Socialistic Bills, and such (measures would continue to be brought forward until wo had frightened away capitalists, driven employers into the Bankruptcy Court, depreciated tho credit of the country, and brought about lauarcliy. Air. Rigg did not approve of the graduated tax as a means of bursting up large estates. In a small country like Now Zealand £40,000 worth of land was too much for anyone to hold. He thought .a square mile of first-class land was ample for any one man to hold. The question was, would this graduated taxation burst up large estates? He did not think so. The man who held,- say, £200,000 worth of land -could afford to pay, £SOOO a year.

Air. Samuel agreed with what Air. Sinclair said upon the Bill, and in his opinion no one could object to tho principle of the measure. On the motion of Air. Jones the debate was adjourned, and the Council rose at 4.45 p.m,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. One week’s leave of absence was granted to Air. Alison and Air. Reid, oil account of ill-healtli. MONDAY SITTINGS. The Premier moved that-on Alonday, 14tli; the House meet at 2.30 p.m. for consideration of local bills only until 5.30 p.m., and that on and after Afqiglay, 14th,' the House moot ou Mondays for the remainder of the session at 7.30 for the transaction of .-Government -business only. The motion was carried, and the Hous P went into committee on the Land Laws Amendment Bill. The discussion will be found in another column,