The Aurland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The News, Morning News and The Echo. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1907. THE ENDOWMENTS BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 253, 23 October 1907, Page 4

The Aurland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The News, Morning News and The Echo.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1907. THE ENDOWMENTS BILL.

Vw iJW eautk that iieUaitUtahhe, Fqr_the wrong that needs reeUtance, 1 For ih'e -futvte ik the distance, \ And thcgou<lth*t~ioe~ecM xlo. fV-" *

that because Tax Bill has been accepted by Parliament and the Lund Latfs Amendment. Bill has got through the Lower House, therefore, the Government has 7 reached the 'end of its labours over the interminable land ques, tion. On the contrary, it is the opinion of many competent observers that the' struggle over the Endowments Bill is likely to be more severe than the conflict which has raged in the House for some weeks past over the two preliminary measures. At the same time, we hope "that tha freehold" "party, *nich'- ,r opposis the whole" Bill, will admit -.the. force, qf,.the. f Premier's contention , ■"that"' Government has made liberal - concession? to it by mouifyiiig the ,<?ther ,t>vo bills;.,and, considerfngrthe objects to which the revenues derived from the proposed endowments are to be devo.ted,' it may fairly be expected that the opposition to the bill now before the House, will be tempered by reason, and will not be prompted wholly by party feeling.

Unfortunately the Lands Committee, which contains a very strong freehold section, has begun by dealing unfairly with the bill from, the, outset. By cutting out the schedule' of land' district areas, origiriajiy attaclfed to tffe lailf, it hfis rendered th& principal clause inoperative, and made it more difficult than before to handle the whole question. It would be hard to suggest any reason but purely factious prejudice to account for this step; but we <io not think it will seriously affect the prospects of the bill. Government proposes to set aside, as permanent endowments, 0,000,000 acres of 'the Crown lands still unsold, and no such lands are to be disposed of in future .by sale except for specified public ; purposes. ' The revenue derived from these lands is to be devotee! to educational purposes and to the old-age pension , .fund in the proportion of seven, to fliree; and it is expected that the rapid increase in land values that will inevitably attend the progress of tho* country will thus in time to conic materi"ally aid the necessary provision for these important purposes. At present it is true we spend over £ 800,000 a year on Education, and over £300,000 a year on old-age pensions; and th;; rent of the proposed endowments is reckoned just now at less than £50«000. This is possibly a good reason for increasing the : area of the reserves thus set aside, but it certainly gives no excuse to thd Opposition to denounce the whole scheme as futile and worthless.

Appa.ron.tly the chief, obiectibn .offered by the Opposition -to the bill is that the reservation of -these areas is," contrary to tire sacred principle of the freehold. A great deal naturally depends'upon, the way in which the endowment areas are selected in each- land district. ]sut, taking a general survey of the Crowr. lands which it is proposed to set "aside

for .these! - purposes ' throughout -. th,o colony, -WBiCan seejiJio rea,soe K to b.fli.ftTfjO; that thY refusal ta sell •th.ein"wm.<-int&v

fere with" tKe progress -,of the'covmtry. In.. Otago , , Canterbury, and Westlarid 'tombined there are more than 5,000)000 acres of these proposed reserves; and it is certain that by far the larger part of tiis-land'will not be needed for settlelAent for a long time to come. The "Lyttelton Times" has pointed out that nearly all the Canterbury land included in the. schedule is already let f or grazing purposes, and is not likely to' be wanted . for closer settlement for the nest hundred years. This argument, we admit, tells to some extent against the Talue of the bill as a provision for our financial needs. But in legislation of this kind we must look to the distant future, and by the time the pressure of competition has raised the endowment retinues far above their present level the : country will have good reason to -be grateful to the foresight of those who prevented the irrevocable alienation of the Crown lands, and the diversion of the "unearned increment" to private owners. The people of Otago and Canterbury rightly eulogise the wisdom displayed by the founders of their educational systems in liberally endowing their, schools and colleges; and in years to come we have no doubt that the Government which proposed the Endowments Jill will be justly appreciated for its statesmanlike forethought. The practical difficulty, of course, is to choose as reserves areas of land that will encourage settlement on leasehold tenure. But if care and discrimination are exercised in this respect we can see no reason to doubt that the scheme now proposed will ultimately prove to be a great and enduring success.