LAND HOLDINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 114, 17 May 1927, Page 9

LAND HOLDINGS.

AGGREGATION DENIED. REPLY TO SIR. HOLLAND, (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DARGAVILLE, Monday. In his address to-night the Prime Minister took occasion to combat the assertion made and repeated by Mr. Holland regarding land settlements. When. Air. Holland stated that there had been aggregation of land he - confused area with value, said the Premier. Most of the very Jarge holdings were not valuable holdings. During the Reform Government's . term of : office, the area in large holdings had been reduced, while tlie number of small - holdings largely increased. If It could be shown that value of production per acre had increased, that shotild be accepted as evidence that the Government's administration had been in the best interests of the country. After eliminating the effect of price variations, the figures 'were: For 1910-11, 14/11 per acre; for 1934-26, 19/5 per acre, or an increase, of 30 per cent in the production of the occupied lands of the Dominion. "Mr. Holland makes capital out of the fact that for the three years, 1923 to 1926, there has been a decrease of 9000 in the employees on occupied holdings. He chooses a period to .suit his purpose of villifying the Government," said Sir. Coates. "In his dealings with mortgages he took a much longer period, but- for this purpose he takes three years only because he knows full well that if he goes further back than three years a substantial increase is shown instead of a decrease." Mr. Coates remarked that it was since 1923 that butter prices had fallen so low. he price position of his primary products had forced the farmer to economise in any direction possible. Where he could dispense with employed labour and "turn to" himself he, no doubt, had done so. There had also been an increase in the use of machines. The statistics, moreover, covered only holdings outside borough boundaries, -and when these were extended to take in adjacent areas such areas would drop out of the statistics, causing aH apparent decrease in the number of small holdings and employees.