SMALL FARMS ACT

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 303, 20 September 1939, Page 11

SMALL FARMS ACT

Minister’s Amending Proposals 33-YEAR LEASE Opposition Urges Freehold The terms of the Small Farms Amendment Bill were described as generous by the Minister of Lands, Mr. Langstone, in initiating the second reading debate on the Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Bill gives tenants a 33-year lease with, perpetual right of renewal instead of a 10-year lease with a compulsory purchasing clause. The Minister said that the small farms scheme had developed well, and that the majority of the tenants were in favour of the proposed amendment.

The scheme, said the Minister, grew out of the need during the slump to find employment for a number of men out of work. A lot of land, particularly North Island marginal land, had been allowed to revert and deteriorate rapidly after it was initially cleared, and the scheme was designed to salvage as much of this land as possible, and as many of its occupiers as possible. Great progress had been made. There were now 109 schemes covering 128,0 <6 acres on which there were 81,848 sheep. 7227 dairy cattle, 10,142 run cattle, 671 horses and 520 pigs. For the development of this area, money had come from ordinary capital sources, from the Consolidated Fund and from unemployment funds. There were now 1300 men employed on the development of land. Adequate Supervision. The breaking in, grassing and stocking of the land meant a big outlay, said the Minister, but much of it could be recovered. The elimination of freehold was designed to allow the Lands Department adequate supervision of the small farms. The department now had a great deal of experience in dealing with its tenants, and it was hoped that many of the farms would be made into show places, because of the proper development of pastures, proper stocking, and expert supervision. The department felt it had a responsibility to the public, as public money had . gone into the development of the farms. The Minister quoted the income made by many of the farmers, and said that gross returns on several of the schemes averaged nearly £5OO a farm. “No injustice will be done by giving the tenants a 33-years’ lease with a perpetual right of renewal instead of the right to freehold,” said the Minister. “Actually the lease will give them a more secure tenure than freehold. It will give them a more secure title to their jobs and standard of living than most men in other jobs, even politicians. If every man in New Zealand was in as sound an economic position, I would be very happy indeed.” Mr. Coates’s Objection. The previous Government had given an undertaking that the small farm settlers would have the right to the freehold tenure if they desired it, and the present Minister of Lands, Mr. Langstone, had said the Government would carry out the undertaking of that administration, but this legislation eliminated the right to the freehold title, said Mr. Coates (Opposition, Kaipara). In the scheme as introduced by the previous Government, he said, the idea was that the land should be developed by the Crown and the men should be used for the purpose and have the opportunity within 10 years of making the farms their own if they found the cash. There was to be a testing or probationary period. “The Minister has said that if an undertaking had been given it would be carried out,” Mr. Coates said. “In 1935 it was quite clear that the probationary period was passed with a number of the settlers. The previous Government said that these settlers would have the right to leasehold, the right to .purchase, or to deferred purchase. The undertaking was given, and it is in writing, that they would have the optional tenure.”

Any possible right to a freehold title was precluded under this legislation, he said. The least the Government could give these men was the option to what they preferred. The Government should give effect to that, and should not treat lightly what these men were given to understand would be carried out.

The Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, said he was sure the policy of the Minister of Lands would prove of inestimable benefit to the country and would result in thousands more acres of land being brought into production. He hoped to be able to announce soon that 5000 more men were being engaged on clearing up farm lands. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment.

TERRITORIAL AIR FORCE RATES OF PAY “The rates of pay for the Territorial Air Force are exactly the same as those for the Regular Air Force,” said tlie Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones, replying in the House of Representatives yesterday to an urgent question by Mr. Coates (Opposition. Kaipara). He added that arrangements were made to pay members of the Territorial Air Force, which was mobilized on September 5, on the same dates as payments were made to members of Hie Regular Air Force. This was September -'5 and at the end of the month.