DUMMYISM AND THE LAND LAWS.

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume X, Issue 886, 11 February 1891, Page 3

DUMMYISM AND THE LAND LAWS.

♦ ■ The Dunedin Star — a paper that has, through good and evil report — supported the Government and the policy of the Minister for Lands— contains the follow* ing startling retraoration : ' The promised amendment of the land laws, and, which is more important, of W land administration will be anxiously forward to by intending settlers. The new Minister of Lands (Mr! John M'Kenzie) is not only a practical farmer himself, but has had many years* experience of the working of the Land Act m his capacity as member of the Otago Lana Board. If the reports that reach us from time to time are i even nearly correct, dummyism is rampant m its worst aspect. It has been reduced to a science, manipulated with mathematical accuracy, so as to prevent the settle- | ment of the country by bona fide settlers. As described by us, the way it is worked is as follows :— ;Some settler of settlers, having 1 grown-up children, boro oni the soil, are desirous of planting them on land contiguous to their own well-6dl.fi-vated farms. They apply to have; the . „-> la^dsojd;, and if their' application is granted, a public sale is advertised. Applicants can elect to purchase either on deferred-payment conditions or oit perpetual lease, or for cash. It is m connection with this last that the mischief is done. The runholder applies for himself, his wife, his sister, Jj,is infant children, and, to make assurance dotibly qapjre^he ;hires » BDmeTcfDmmisSrdit;) agents and clerks to make application also—alwo ys for cash ; whilst the genuine 'settler goes m for deferred-payment orperp- , potual lease, or foe perpetual lease. AIL tl.e applications 'are siibihiited to ballot ; a^ d it is a remarkable thing that the cash purchaser, or ov c of his dummies, ' al-' wnys gets the land, because perhaps 'oi his having . dciub. le- banked and treblehanked the 1 kerctlefV applications. "We are not ste.ting any imaginary case., These things; have happened repeatedly during the last :few years, some very flagrant caves have occurred lately. When, therefore, Mr Richardson plumes himself on. the; successfull financial results of his land administration,! it, becomes more than questions whether the system,' pursued has been beneficial to the country, liess cash sales 'and more settlers would certainly have been a greater gain to New Zealand. Be it observed, however, that late Ministry are not roponsible for the worst evils of "' ttfe existing law. " TEe Land Act of 1885 is •th'd''produc ! t :; b T f the Stonti- 1 Ballance Ministry^ In an '[ explanatory preface " {o^o A^; ; " published under the authoritly'o'f^He^bh. John Ballance, Minister of Lands " m 1885 X .special ■ alteiftfan. is drawri;to the factHgai -f on 'iuUljpayttenit of money i nbi ' ttirtner oDligaiion ires'tia' on the purchaser, nor is there any : restriction as to the >extjent pT land he may require." The 'Miei of 1886 remedies this m a measure by restricting the purchase of land to '640 abies' uf'fiVsi-classland and, 2,000 acres of second-class land. Out •of thi^ wjler afld proper r^Btriction the •dummyipg system was resuscrated with '■' itenewed "vbilence.' The very 'means Bonght ; td stay it have aided its growth and progress, so that now the yoang of r.\ "Hew Zealand are casting anxionsj eyes ; to' Australia, despairing of getting a 1 foothold m * their native land; It is time '''- that some decided action were taken, if ; 'Vne 1 do not wish to lose the flower of our , .population... . i c It is charitaHe to suppose that these; dummies do not understand what they • are. doing- when they sign the statufoiy "declaration required by the Act. They solemnly declare that they are purchasingrthe laud "solely for their own "benefit," and not directly; or , indirectly., for the use and benefit of, any 'otner.persoii or persons ■whomsoever.' And ! they know that they nre not doing so ; yet they run the risk of being placed m the dock for felony, ami uf incurring ', 'ail the pains and penalties and disgrace of perjury, m addition to the forfeiture of the' land and all moneys paid m respect > thereof Yet,' fdr a paltry' bonus >or commission, men m I) Uned in 1 can 'be found to do this wrong and criminal thing. They can always declare tbat they do not own the maximum area premitted ' by the law, and they can go on' doing this for ever, because as soon as they get »'" the Crowm grant they can transfer ,land to their eqally crijninal patrons, * who find the cash aritlp'ay the commis*"Sion. Mr M'Kenznie has promised; a fnil nnd. searching inquiry into -such transactions '; and 'developments oi an astonishipg-nature,.an-l mpst astonishing to the ! drimmiesV* may be expected. t-- If. tbegi^statementg^rpgar-iing (rash sains be true, it ii adviea&le fthat they "should be entirely suspended until the existing law is amended ; for as they operate: at present, thelgreatest possible injury is being done to the country and to the cause of settlement.