It fonnd thatthe land vas gone and that it had been squandered by the Opposition when in power. He hoped that not only the Cheviot Estate! but several others would be acquired foil /settlement, n hid own district there were 18,000 to 20,000 acres held over. As to the exemption' of im provements, he leld that it was simply an act of justice that this tax should be re moved. The acquisition of Native lands would prove of 'great value to the Colony. The Nativeß ware desirous of their lands being acquired, and there should be no difficulty in obtaining thorn. The gradu ated tax was one of the greatest blessings thoy possessed,' as it would cause the 'bursting up of the ; large estates, which were a cUree ti t the Colony. It was a paltry cry to s£y that the tea and sugar duties should be "remitted." ■ The true policy was a siirplus which would enable roads ?to be imade, and employment given to the psople.. Referring to the unemployed question, he believed there were now fewer unemployed than for a long time past, The Government was doing ita beat to find employment for the .j people by making roads, but the Opposition condemned the' Labour Bureau ar.d, the co-operative Bystem, which he strongly approved of. AJgreat deal hsfd been fl&id about railway management, but he held that it was a necessity that the Govern ment should be represented on the Board. The object of tho railways waß for opening up the country, not merely for money making. He strongly deprecated the waste of time that occurred in the House over trivial matters, and said that mora tithe was spent in useless talk than in trans acting the business.of the country. Mr Bbttcs said that in consequence of his retiring from publio life for a time, and probably, for ever, he had intended to be comparative silent this Beßßion, but he wished now to Bay a few worchir^Ht. _*«-• ferred'to ah article that appeared in the New Zealand Tinea criticising a speech of his in Auckland as a farrago of nonsense, but that was essentiallj > oritioiam .of a Liberal character. 