LAND SPECULATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 147, 22 June 1923, Page 10

LAND SPECULATION.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The only men I have known in an experience of 50 years whom, in my humble opinion, have been worthy of

our esteem and respect as land legislators were the Hon. John Jiallance and Mr. Seddon, and latterly, Sir Joseph Ward. Before these three came on the scene, and after they made their exit, nothing has been done to settle the idle land worth mentioning. I'm game to wager any eculleryman's assistant in Auckland would make a better Minister of Lands than some who have had charge of the most important portfolio in Parliament. When the Masscyites got control, was it to be dxpectcd they would make the land reasonably accessible to the people? Xot on "your life! The three statesmen mentioned I above ciit up some of the big estates, and opened up a great deal of Crown land. The people as a whole did so well, that they became indifferent and callous, and let their heritage slip through their fingers, Some did so well they turned Tory. The remedy, and only one I can recommend to anyone, unbiassed, is give the people reasonable opportunity to get on the idle lands. I have no doubt whatever if a few decent sections were available anywhere in the King Country, to be balloted for, there would be hundreds of applications for each section. Mention land to the Reformers, and they will probably have one or two gags: no surveyors available, and no money. But I am too brilliant a mathematician to swallow that, for it would be far better to let suitable people have the land free for ten or twenty years instead of letting it lie idle for that time.—l am, etc;, P. B. DAVEV. Mauunui. ITo the Editor.) Sir, —Mr. Liddell Kelly, in his reply to my criticism of his scheme for the outlawry of gambling in land, states "that the cases I cite ''present no insuperable difficulties." but he makes no attempt to deal with my objections. I claimed, anj went into considerable detail to show, that his proposals Would prove unworkable; and would not prevent gambling in improved lands. Hie letter, which airily relegates all details to Parliament. , is no reply to my criticism, and further, j is inconsistent with his first. However, ' I heartily congratulate him on raising; nis voice against land gambling', which is a symptom of a monstrous system m land tenure whereby the people arc robbed of their natural rights.—l am ti<: » ■ = C.H.N. ';