III

I.—sd

Mr. Nosworthy moved the following resolution : — " That in the opinion of this (Joininittet: the allegations in the Mangaweka Settler — " (1.) That aggregation has been rampant in that district has been refuted by the evidence, and that there has been no aggregation except in a few cases which took place in years past, and was made under the then-existing land laws and with the sanction of the Land Board. " (2.) That the statement that land agents were going round with their pockets lined with gold to tempt small settlers to sell out to the larger landowners was completely disproved by the evidence. " (3.) That the statement that aggregation was encouraged by the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1912, and to a large extent was due to the provisions of that Act, is incorrect. " That the evidence clearly showed that originally much of the land had been cut up into sections of too small an area, and that the Land Board had acted in the best interests of settlement by allowing the areas to be increased so us to allow the settler to occupy an area of sufficient size on which to make a living." Hon. Mr. Buddo moved as an amendment— " The Committee find that aggregation of farms in the Mangaweka districts has been going on to some considerable extent for years past —empty homesteads being frequently met — but the evidence before the Committee goes to show that this has been done with freeholds which are not affected by the limitation provisions under the Land Act or the provisions of the land legislation passed in 1912 " On the question being put, That the amendment be adopted, the Committee divided, and names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, i : Hon. Mr. Buddo, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Robertson, Mr. R. W. Smith. Noes, 7 : Mr. Anderson. Mr. Guthrie, Mr. E. Newman, Mr. Nosworthy, Mr. T. W. Rhodes, Mr. Coates. Mr. Statham. So it passed in the negative. On the question being put, That the original motion be adopted, the Committee divided, and names were taken down as follow :— Ayes, 8 : Mr. Anderson, Mr. Coates, Mr. Guthrie, Mr. E. Newman, Mr. Nosworthy, Mr. T. W.Rhodes, Mr. R. W. Smith, Mr. Statham. Xoes, 3 : Hon. Mr. Buddo, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Robertson. So it was resolved in the affirmative. Resolved, on motion of Mr. E. Newman, That the resolution of the Committee be reported to the House. The meeting then adjourned.