LAND BALLOT CUSTOM CHALLENGED

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 122, 16 February 1929, Page 10

LAND BALLOT CUSTOM CHALLENGED

PREFERENCE TREATMENT RESTRICTED WHAT CONSTITUTES TWO CHANCES? By Telegraph.—Press Association.' Dannevirke, February 15. An interesting point regarding preference to applicants in land ballots has been raised by Mr. J. Livingstone, president of the Dannevirke branch of the Farmers’ Union and Government representative on the Hawke’s Bay Land Board. At a ballot for the Waimarama block in Napier on Wednesday six sections were offered, preference being given to married men, returned soldiers, and those who had been unsuccessful in two previous ballots. Mr. Livingstone raised the question whether an applicant who entered the ballot for all six sections and was unsuccessful in the first two was entitled to preferential treatment in regard to the remaining four. The Under-Secre-tary of Lands ruled that the usual custom be followed, and the whole block be regarded as one ballot. Mr. Livingston’s contention is that each section should be regarded as a separate ballot, and in this view he is confirmed by legal opinion, which shows that there is nothing in the legislation to specify that the whole of the sections in a block opened for selection are to be regarded as a single ballot. Mr. Livingston considers that the present arbitrary preferential system is keeping some of our most promising young farmers off the land. These young men are penalised for every section in their first two ballots in different blocks, although they would make excellent settlers, and their fathers are frequently in a position to assist them in the purchase of stock. That they are not married is not infrequently due to the fact that they cannot obtain suitable land on which to set up a home.