IMPROVED ESTATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 37, 13 February 1930, Page 11

IMPROVED ESTATES.

PURCHASE CONDEMNED.

Wrisky and EXPENSIVE."

SOME ALTERNATIVE POLICIES

The purchase of priirate estates by the Government for closer, settlement was discussed; last night by the.-One-hun' r a-Manukau Chamhtr of Commerce. The subject was introduced by Mr. J. E. Green, J.P., who .moved: "That the policy of pledging -tho country's credit for-the purchase o£ private estates is not in the best interests of the'State.''This chamber is of the opinion "that 'agradua-; ted'land tax wbu'd lead to closer settlement more speedily and would enable the Government to reduce other classes of taxation, thereby lowering the post of living, and giving relief Jto; the com-' wwni.ty generally without, incurring any financial risk." .. , , , . Mr. 'Green cpntemlt'd that the history' of- land purchase by the Government showed that it. was a risky; expensive and slow method of increasing. - settlement. The capital expenditure was .too great to ensure a living to the farmer. Competition and' cheap, labour;in /other countries was brhgincr down prices and if the New-Zealand farmers were-to cdnir pete in a market miles away they must have cheaper land. The-'present " was a bad ,time to buy, for.land values were falling, but it was'.a.good time Sot the big landowner to quit. Tb<2 Reform Government had dost upwards-,,'of j in.thisvway during its, term 1 Cf'office; ' ,;; ';, • Use of Taxation Proposed. ' ■ "••'" **'■'. .'...'" He suggested that the land tax-should, be made sufficiently stringent to the ,big landoivner and. the land speculator "use. the land to its fullest capacity, or break, it up and dispose of it toothers- who would. The land would become more speedily-.settled because it would-be; sold for what it.would fetch in the open market.. -. Mr. Green quoted ficruiefi to. showJ that the. annual interest charges on the capital required, to farm 1000 acres of mixed sheep, and dairying country would, amount to £630—-a price 'that no poor .man could look at,, much Ices the destitute unemployed. A* reason-; able land tax :woutd"also tend ..to prevent Jand boomsand by "stationary; laiid values. . 1 .-. "!*'"./'» Acres Idle. - , Mr." Es. R. Allen, who seconded-;the 'argued that the prosperity of the Dominion depended, on? a vigorous land settlement policy.. Of .the 66,000,000 acres' ifl New, .Zealand, only ,18,000,000 were ' under cultivation, '• while,, tip less than 24,000,000 acres were held., in .a virgin. state 'by speculators. He had studied. this from a' national, commercial'ahd private farming standpoint, and /sympathy. whatever with the practice 1 of buying: improved estates, as the. subsequent owners could not possibly make their land, pay.- . He.-, : would make the.land tax ..on unimproved land so steep, that the owner wquld have to sell, for at present he was only waiting'for the unearned, ihcrenient.; As a' concrete proposal'he~ would introduce group~settlements,, which he said had-proved BUpcessfiil in turning .waste, Jands. into good farms -while minimising the hardships so. ofte£ connected with;-backblock settlement in Isolated farms. These settlers would /work the land-; together, under competent'. supervision, and \ perhaps after a couple of years those who had proved' competent cduloV take possession of small parts of the block: for individual ownership. -' ... ■<.- };■.,*/; '■''■ The .urgent .necessity for more vigorous land-settlement was; stressed, by the Rev-, J." ; Craig'as the"; solution 1 of'the.'pre : sent distressing- unemployments H# said he personally-knew the estate; recentlypurchased* and he pitied tKe.people; who tried to/farm 'such improved estates, at the high charges 4hey had'to pay..; • •. . /; ;•;*■' Small FannsiWanted;, J.'S.Montgomerie-contended;that in the'South,lslarid:there.,was;-n§t; much virgin- land- still ieft,.;so .ppssibly;: itOwjW ne&essarv to buy improved estates,;but hi;- the North Island ! thete.:was-plentyj. and;hundreds Pf • people could .be : ; put % pit 'certain Mocks that he knew He.strongly favoured; small farms instead ;bf %Vg& block's. :There. was plenty. Of; second-class. I4nd which ■- at present, was;hringing .in nothing; .but .which,- under the .modern; system ; of ' cultivation, .could--;be^mada' -veryv productive. ' The resolution was,adopted, and "a copy is-to be sent to the Minister : 'of : Bands : and" Mr: W.' J. Jordan, ; : M.P: * ;: •• "'