PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19064, 28 July 1927, Page 9

PARLIAMENT.

HIGH LAND VALUES.

VOTING ON LICENSING ISSUE.

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WELLINGTON, July 27.

When the House of Representatives met this afternoon, Mr Fraser gave notice of his intention to introduce the Right To Work Bill. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time: The Wellington City and Suburban Water Supply (Mr Fraser), the Gireytown Trust Lands Trustees Empowering (Hon. Mr McLeod), Juries Amendment No. 2 (Mr. H. G. R. Mason), Christchuroh Tramway District Amendment (Mr Sullivan). Revaluation of Land. Some discussion took place on the revaluation of land, when the Minister for Lands presented the annual report, of the Valuation Department. Messrs Forbes, Campbell, Savage,) Buddo, and J. C. Rolleston urged that general revaluation of lands was necessary to make adjustments of local bodies taxation. Mr Rolleston added that something should be done to facilitate the adjustment of valuations in casos where the freehold of Native lands was in question. Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East) suggested that steps should be taken to improve the advice given to the Minister in connexion with the purchases of estates. The Minister would thus be protected from steps that might lead to i a recurrence of the Gisborne soldier settlement failure. Mr Glenn (Rangitikei) said that a first mortgage on land was at one time regarded as a gilt-edged 1 security. Revaluation of all land was a necessary preliminary to the readjustment of taxation.' It was manifest that this could not be done at once, but a start should be made with deteriorated lands. Mr Veitch (Wanganui) agreed and added that land values should be based on productivity, He hoped the Minister would secure additional officers qualified to expedite revaluation throughout the country. Mr Rhodes (Thames) thought people with local knowledge should be employed to value lands, as there were such great diversities between various localities. . The Minister for Lands: They are the people who are responsible for the high prices of land. Mr Wilford (Hutt) said the complaints voiced should be all to the effect that the Government was taking too long to effect revaluations, but, as a matter of fact the Minister could (if he would) no doubt tell the House in certain districts land had been valued at such a high rate that revaluation would result in heavy reductions, and render many second mortgages practically valueless. Therefore delay was often advisable in the interests of the holders of second mortgages and occupiers of land. Mr Lysnar (Gisborne) referring to the Te Wera soldier settlement, said the purchase was quite justifiable. It was good easy country and cost about £6 lis per acre, very little more than the cost of breaking in new country in other districts. When the country placed the meat and other producing industries on a sound basis, ■ this and other similar high country lands could be occupied with profit, but till the meat trusts were eliminated the farmers would never be anything but their servants. There was no Government in this country. The .trusts were really the Government. Mr D. Jones (Kaiapoi); replying to certain statements by Mr Lysnar, said that the price obtainable for stock and other produce had an effect on land values. He said that the prices of New Zealand lamb in London were only a penny and a penny three-farthings below the price of fresh-killed English lamb, which was a wonderful Achievement. ' ' ' . The Minister, in reply, referring to Te Wera, said that Mr J. A. Lee s remarks were unwarranted, when he made insinuations that there had been something dark and underhand about this purchase, that, in fact, some friend of the Government was being particularly well treated. There is no doubt that a general revaluation of land was overdue. He-pointed out that the last valuations in half the counties in the country were made in the 1918-21 period, and these valuations were now far too high, and they were made by local valuers, having in mind the needs of local bodies. The Department intended to push the work of revaluation ahead, and would not use any local valuers if it were possible to do the work with its own trained men. ' Preferential Voting. Mr McCombs (Lyttelton), moving the second reading of the Preferential Voting Bill, briefly reviewed previous attempts to introduce something like the preferential system. The present Bill was not intended to be to the election of members of Parliament, though it could be used for that purpose. The present objective waa to use it in deciding polls on matters where more than two issues were at stake. It embodied the Labour Party's ideal of majority rule. Ab the laws were at present, it could, only be applied to the licensing question, in which it would in effect transform the three issues into two by virtue of the preferential vote. The voter would number issues 1, 2, and 3 in order of preference. An absolute fiiajority was defined as more than onehalf of the valid votes cast. Mr Fraser (Wellington Central), supporting the Bill, thought it would commend itself to members as one that would secure a real majority expression of will on such a subject as the licensing poll, since it would give those favouring State Control, for instance, an opportunity to vote effectively. At present they were practically disfranchised. The Bill should be welcomed by the Goveminent, as furnishing a means of ing with the licensing problem by giving the people an opportunity . of stating definitely their attitude towards it. Mr Lysnar (Gisborne) opposed the measure, pointing out that similar systems of voting in England and other countries had been tried and found wanting. He was opposed to the House referring any matter to the people for decision. Members were sent to Parliament to deal with public questions, but when they came face to face with the licensing question they showed themselves weaklings, lacking the courage to stand up for their opinions. Messrs Sullivan, Armstrong, Bartram, and Forbes supported the Bill, the lastnamed adding that he could not understand why the Labour Party were loath to apply it to the election of members of Parliament. The second reading was defeated on a division by 44 votes to 20. The House rose at 10.20. The business to-morrow will include the Agricultural College Bills, the Rent Restriction Bill, and the imprest Supply Bill (No. 2). _