AGGREGATION OF LAND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 89, 15 April 1913, Page 8

AGGREGATION OF LAND.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Of late several letters and articles have appeared in your paper dealing with the subject of land aggregation. It appears that there is a good deal of misunderstanding as to the meaning of this term, and the condition of affairs to which it applies. From an. analysis of the facts of specific cases quoted it would appear that aggregation .means the condition of affairs resulting from a desire on the part of small landholders in certain cases to sell to larger holders, and, of course, the implied, willingness of these latter to buy. Now, since aggregation results from a desire to sell as well as to buy, it is obvious that it has been an actual benefit to some small holders, and is a potential benefit to all. Any man may at any time be so circumstanced that it would be to his advantage to sell his land, and the larger and freer the market he has for it the better are his chances of doing so with profit. The fact that aggregation has taken place is clear evidence that it has benefited small holders in the past, and mil do so to others in the future. That is, of course, setting aside the possibility of coercion, which has not yet been suggested as the cause. It doe* not necessarily follow that because the cutting up of large estates is advantageous to the community, their renggregation is therefore disadvantageous, piough on ». pertain in -Mi

vidual may want land, on a future occasion his most pressing want may be ready money. - The outcry against aggregation almost looks like a desire to compel small holders to keep their land against their interests, since if there is a stigma attached to aggregation it rests with the seller no less than the buyer.—l am, etc., FREE TRADE.