AN AMERICAN ON THE LAND QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 2921, 25 August 1879, Page 3

AN AMERICAN ON THE LAND QUESTION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Haviug travelled throughout the principal cities of New Zealand, I have become most favourably impressed with the many great advantages your colony possesses from au agricultural aud commercial point of view, aud have been asked by several gentlemen iv this city to give my viewß on the present agitation re the native laud question. Not being a voter or resident here I do not desire to enter into the arena of a New Zealand politician, but having watched clOsely during hiy last four months residence amongst you the tide the affairs of this colony have taken, it might not be amiss for me to here briefly state what my opinions arc ou the land question. I will coqline my remarks exclusively to this, the North Island, where the present hitch in the native lands question most particularly exists. Iv the first place, your geographical position places yog at a much greater/ud-vantuße-lrom a commercial stand pbint than' any other part of the colony.; secondly, the salubrity Of your climate' is such that as time rolls on you cannot help but rapidly ; a large injjiu: of immigrants to: your shores. Your manufacturing industries, beitfg yet undeveloped, and1 not being able ,j;p give (employment to those who maiy ftii;migrate hither ; it becomes of paramount importance that such immediate and judicious legislation should he brought about [re the proper distribution of your indeed ■very limited lands that new comers should find a home lor themselves in the regions of your agricultural districts. The great evil tendency which oxists in Great Britain at the present day is her over-crowded cities, crowded with mechanics, labourers, and clerks. This latter cluss perhaps aggregate the greater number of the unemployed in almost every country, as the tendency here as well as iv countries of older growth appears to be in the direction of an cxce..iv"<_/njfjix in tlio rivnks of that army of clerks, in hank's, ullicos, ..lores, warphouses, etc., so that your cities are crowded withacliiss who find itahnost impossible to obtain employment at anything hko remunerative wages, or in anything lileo proportion to those obtainable as agriculturists. There is a'certain independence in connection with rural life which is not to be found amongst tlio ordinary pursuits of a clerkship life. It, is therefore necessary that new-comers of all classes should be directed to (hose agri- . cultural; districts where lands can bo procurable fit a reasonable price, and where the hardy tiller of the soil can carve'out a home for.liiinself and family in these charming islands' of tho Southern Seas. Therefore, Seeing that you have only a very limited area of territory to dispose of to the thousands who are now fleeing from Great Britain to America, and will eventually find their way here, it is of the utmost importance to this Colony that you have a Government that will foster and encourage the immigrant to settle on the lands at their disposal, and on such tracts as may prove hipst bdhofioial'to tlio future prosperity of the entire Colony. Tv order fcq do this satisfactorily. I maintain that the Government, and they1 alone, should make treaty with the natives and secure all the available land-in the King country and open it out foivcarly settlement in such it way that no capitalist could monopolise more than a certain amount; and I would suggest that the land should be sold in lots of the following size :—l6O, 320, 4SO, and 640 acres, and that the limit any one man could buy would be fi4o acres, and not less than 160. In this' way the land would ho equally.' divided, and would also ensure the faithful cultivation of the entire agricultural districts. Of course, lam not speaking of grazing lands for sheep and cattle; '-I am supposing that the bouth Island has devoted most of their attention to this industry, and as there are large runs now owned by rich squatters they caniiot be expected to' cut them up into sections for sale to the general settler, unless they find it to their interest to do so. But the Gove rum ntnow having control (or which I trust they soon will) of the districts known as ihe King country, it is, or will be, within their power to so amend and regulate the land laws so as to prevent the monopolization of entire districts by capitalists who way desire to purchase. Ido not mean to exclude 'anyone from purchasing, hut I do ineujp- to i'c_ohimbnd'thiit tlicre'shoiild he'd limijfc to the''area 'of hj#<. pprch^d by ,»ny ofte lnttiyPnil. '". yf also 'saggesj;

' that the Government should not devolve themselves into a land incorporation for the purpose of making money out of such sales ; they should be willing to sell it to buyers at the actual cost to them, withacerucd interest and expenses connected^ with such tteaties as they may find necessary to make in order to make an amicable settlement with the natives. I would further suggest that in order Iv ensure the occupation and actual ■ settlement of all such lands as speedily as ciicumstnnces will permit (and as the Government open up the railways to such districts) that certain stipulations should lie made whereby the purchaser of every section of (MO acres or a quarter section of IGO acres, should be compelled to plough up and seed a certain number of acres cvc|,y year, and build a "house of cert;:' proportions which would relieve the , -liaser from tlie burden of n Goverlnii; _'Land Tax ; and all who did not comply to such stipulations should in lieu thereof pay a certain tax on unimproved lands thus held. I have no doubt that there aro many who will say that my suggestions cannot he carried out,; for that I don't presume to au- : swer. I Can only say that it is the system' . wc have adopted in our country, where., We-;; have an area of territory of nearly four piillion square miles, and-have found that it works admirably; and, comparing the two countries, I would say that this .would be a must liberal land law for New Zealand. Many will say wc are too young. To those I would say that you will grow, and the very fact ot your having no noo grants .0 settlers! as wc have in our country, the very nature of things is such that you jyill have class of settlers, who are able to conform to such stipulation, and although it may take longer to settle tlie lauds, yet you will settle ihem with a better class, 'who will conic here to make this their hpuie, mid will ■ ensure, ( a .moro lusting ' and 'growing prosperity for ■ tlio colony. Ido not desire to in any way associate,politics1 in this matter. ■ I Only say that there should only he one voice on this groat question, and instead of wrangling about secular education and equal right .expenditure, tho people should 'lie 1 united and unanimous in returning such ; men to represent them in Parliament as will ' carry out the best measures for tho settol '. ment of this much-vexed land question I and native diUiculty, as will ensure the last- i ing prbsrJefity of' Now Zealand as a' whole, i and build up within you a patriotic feeling " of real aud genuine loyalty to your country, ; such that will commend the respect and : admiration of older and richer nations. You have a glorious future before you if you only seize the opportunity Which!)now prescuts ptsolf to you? ftud'act with true interest to yourselves/your country,1 .and your . Queen.—Yours &.., AN AMERICAN.