Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly THURSDAY, 6 JULY 1865 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy Jur11 Bill. rARRRMlU,Y.l LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. Thursday, 6 July, 1865. Agricultural Reserves Amendment Bill, 3o.-Crown Lands Non-Competitive Sales Bill (discharged from the Paper).-Customs Duties Bill, 2°. AGRICULTURAL RESERVES AMEND­ MENT BILL. The SECRETARY FOR LANDS AND WORKS : Sir, as no memorial from the northern districts having reference to the land laws has reached the Government, I will now state to the House the action which I propose to take with regard to the Bills which are on the business paper. It will be in the recollection of honorable members that this order of the day having been struck off the paper-which took place, I believe, on a motion of the honorable member for Port Curtis for an adjournment,-when I took an opportunity, at a subsequent period, to move its restoration to the paper I mentioned that, on the third reading of the Bill it was my intention to move its recommittal for the consideration of certain clauses which that honorable member intended to submit. Since that period, the 366 Agrieultural Reserves [ASSEMBLY.] Amendment Bill. Bill and the order of the day immediately involve the necessity of an entire re-arrange­ following it have been twice before the House, ment of the survey department during the and on each occasion they were both post­ next twelve months, it will be better for him poned, for reasons which were stated at the to withdraw them, and not hinder the time. With the fact before us, that a very unanimous passing of this Bill through its large number of leases of Crown lands held third reading. In that hope, and with that under the Orders in Council will expire at the view, I now beg to move that this Bill be end of this year, and prompted, no doubt, by read a third time. a desire to see, perhaps, a more extended and Mr. DouGLAs : Mr. Speaker, I am quite a more fixed tenure of lease than exists under sure the honorable member who has moved our present land laws, a number of honorable this resolution is actuated by the best motives members who are accustomed to sit on this in desiring to provide this colony with a land side of the House have requested the Gov­ law which will be at once acceptable to the ernment to introduce a comprehensive Land public, and not destructive to the existing Bill ; and they have, on their part, offered interests of the country. I am also desirous to the Government, by means of certain reso­ that some such measure should be passed into lutions, suggestions for the preparation of law, and I am, equally with the honorable such a measure. Again, honorable members member, aware that it is a very difficult thing, on the other side of the House have just as in dealing with this question, to frame any loudly demanded that the Government should measure which can, strictly speaking, be introduce a comprehensive Land Bill. Now, characterised as a comprehensive one. For whether a comprehensive Land Bill means such a variet:y of opinions and interests are the same thing on both sides of the House is involved in this question, that it is only, a question which must be left to the specula­ perhaps, after a series of years and a course tive mind to solve. Our land laws have of experimental legislation that we can finally hitherto worked very fairly, and at present, hope to arrive at a really comprehensive perhaps, it would be well that they should measure. I can, therefore, understand the continue a little longer. The great objection reluctance with which the honorable gentle­ which I have had to them is, that they have man has met the propqsal of those gentlemen scarcely turned into the Treasury as much who approached him with suggestions having money as I should have liked the Treasury to reference to this Bill. I am convinced it receive. The Government, sir, have felt that would have been impossible for him during the introduction of a new land law is a ques­ the present session to take them into con­ tion which will be approached and regarded sideration, in addition to the various works he with great interest by all classes of the has in hand, both as an administrator of the community. In all the other colonies of law and as a practical exponent of that law, Australia the land question has always been and to bring in a Bill which would satisfy the looked upon as the great question of the day. country and this House. Therefore I am And as the Government of this colony are quite content to have his expression of opinion perfectly prepared to approach the subject, that he will be able to frame such a measure, and to introduce such a measure, all they ask during the ensuing recess, as will meet with of the House is to allow them sufficient time the approval of the House when it meets to prepare and arrange the details of such a again. But, sir, while I wish to give every Bill as they trust will satisfy the House, and credit to the honorable member for this meet the requirements of the COlmtry for many line of action, I am sure nobody is more years to come. But I venture to make this aware than he is, that there is a certain observation-I venture to express a hope that amount of doubt whether, even if he honorable members, when they do consider frames such a measure, he will succeed this question, will enter upon the considera­ in carrying it. There may be a variety of tion of it divested of all local or class preju­ causes to prevent him from bringing it into dices. Because it is vain to suppose-expe­ operation. Admitting that our previous rience teaches us that such a supposition legislation has been experimental and piece­ would be false-that no Land Bill which does meal, I can see no reason why we should not not bear upon the face of it the impress and attempt to make it as perfect as possible. stamp of public opinion can last. 'l'his Land The object which the honorable member had Bill, as I have just stated, the Government in drafting the Bill which is now before the will make arrangements to prepare during House was, I believe, to meet certain prac­ the recess. To refer again for a moment to tical evils which had arisen under the Agri­ the objects for which the honorable member cultural Reserves Act. To some extent it for Port Curtis desires the re-committal of does meet tliose evils, and I think he has the Bill before the House, I may say that the wisely modified those provisions which were questions involved in the clauses he has pro­ of too stringent a character. In that view, I posed, are questions which I should wish to believe the Bill deserves the support it has see calmly and deliberately discussed. But already received at the hands of the House. I would put it to that honorable member that, But it must not be overlooked that there are as the measure now before the House can other features in the Bill which are not so only be regarded as a temporary one, and as acceptable as the previous measure, in refer­ the clauses which he has submitted must ence to the reserves of land. It will be in Agrimtltural Reserves [6 JULY.] Amendment Bill. 367 the remembrance of honorable members, that and I believe, according to the Orders in in the Crown Lands Alienation Act there Council, it is necessary to give them twelve were clauses, which have been subsequently months' notice. I believe, however, that repealed, specifying the amount of land to be has not always been complied with. I felt reserved. In the present Bill there is no it was right to recognise the strict legal such distinction. Now, I thought at the rights of leaseholders, and therefore my time it was desirable to define the quantity clause only proposed to reserve a sufficient of land which was always to be held open to amount of land after a certain time had selection. And, believing that I should not elapsed, to give them notice that their fulfil my public duty unless I attempted to country would be required. The clause goes engraft upon that Bill some clause or clauses on to say that- which ensured that a certain amount of land " The Governor with the advice of the should always be accessible to the public, I Executive Council shall cause to be set apart if submitted a proposition which, when the Bill not already set apart for the purposes of this passed through committee, was not received Act portions of Crown lands not being less in with any great degree of favor. The pur­ the aggregttte than fifty thousand acres in each port of that resolution was further specified of the districts of Moreton and Darling Downs in some clauses which I contributed, and and in each of the districts of "Wide Bay Port afterwards submitted to the honorable Curtis and Kem10tly portions not containing less Minister for Lands and Works, as he has in the aggregate than thirty thousand acres and correctly stated, in the hope he would give that within the time above specified then and them his patronage. I felt that, without thereafter there shall constantly be kept surveyed some assurance of that sort from the honor­ and open for selection under the provisions of 'able member, I could not hope to pass them this Act not less than twenty-five thousand acres through the House ; and I have, therefore, in each of the said districts of Moreton and considerable satisfaction in finding that the Darling Downs and not less than fifteen thousand honorable member and I are pretty much in each of the districts of Wide Bay Port Curtis agreed upon this matter.