STEALING OUR HERITAGE

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 28 August 1926, Page 16

STEALING OUR HERITAGE

iTii :lip j Sir.—Tin , iiKinipiiiaii.nl of the legisla-: ti\c machine 10 freehold ondnwmem | lands is one of I' l ' , many daring exploits ■ nf Reform in juggling with land legislation, to assi-t Jiion I" break through the. |,nv of limitation >>i area. The areas which any one ninn ran hold are: First-1 i lass, liiifi perc-: -.peond-clas.", 20(10 1 H.-rc.*, and iliirrl-olas*. .VHKI acres. Under | lite pretext of a general statement "we liplieve in the freehold." they arc mis-j i-liicvously breaking through the lanagainst ajrjrrocratioti which their printed | policy rippnei 1 * ami set* lorth. viz.: They wanted to maki! it perfectly clemthat liy law no aggregation would be possible. Now. tlie analysis of Reform's methods s-hows with what stealth am! -tibtletv they pot in work on our national endowment land which could only lie leaseed as renewable leases or small grazing rim lenses, the rout- tr> g.i for secondary education. <>lil age. pensions, hospital and charitable aid- li will be seen that immediately Reform took office, hy section 22 of the Act of n>l2. the (iovernor by Proclamation could set a*ide lease? of national endowments up to 120,000 acres for any one person. The Land Laws Amendment Act, 1013 and 1014 gives the right to freehold a portion of these leases. This was cleverly worked to prevent any hue and cry; and the fatal section 17 or the 1914 Act was most, craftly brought in while the war distracted public attention- The real crime and gross breach of their own definite policy is found in section 11 of the 10-20 Act,'which gives the right to acquire the freehold of national endowments land up to 20.000 acres for any one individual, thus breaking through, the limitation of area, principle and furthering land aggregation. By the later amendments these could be fre6holded; thus we find the year books show a sudden increase in areas from 10,000 acres to 20.000 acres. 1 think it can be safely said that enormous areas of these lands have got into land aggregators' hands hy these met hods. The public should ha warned that a new attempt this session is being made to filch away these lands which belong to the people absolutely. The prices paid by these aggregators were eimply ridiculous, another sample of help your frieuds policy. The public by remaining quiet are aiders and abettors of these crimes against our fellow citizens. I am, etc., A. HALL SKELTON.