MR. R. M'NAB INTERVIEWED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIII, Issue 117, 18 May 1907, Page 5

MR. R. M'NAB INTERVIEWED.

THE LAND BILL THE MINISTER CONFIDENT. [BY TELEGKArn. — PKESS ASSOCIATION.] ASHBURTON, This Day. Interviewed by an Ashburton Guardian reporter the Hon. R. M'Nab said in regard to the Land Bill and Endowments : "So few of the members absolutely oppose all endowments that T havo without hesitation, even in face of continued and interrupted hostile votes declaring for option (as in the Noith Island), stated that tho Land Bill will be put on tho statute book, and I see np .reason to , doubt that tho cnclov.'mont provisions will also be put on the statute book. There is no alteration iv my i views as to what is likely to happen, except that I cannot profess to indicate the exact area that the committee on" tho Bill will finally settle on for endowments in the Land Bill. Tht freehold which we offer by auctioning land and protecting tenants improvements may nofc be carried, but freehold at original value will not be carried. I still believe the proposals which will prove accoptable will bo our 90 per cent, proposals based on the original value. Time will show whether lam right. I have boon astonished at members' unanimity regarding the limitation proposals. Men who were 3trong against us on the area of endowments aro prepared to go further than wo are in limiting private estates. They have astonished me with their limits of value or rato of graduated tax. I think the decision of the House on the limitation proposals will astonish many people who think they know wha*. tho House is going to do." THE RECENT BY-ELECTION. Continuing, the Minister said in regard to Now Plymouth by-election : "The Government lost ground there. There was a divided vote for the Liberal Party. It eeenis to me that it must always have that effect, when two men of standing aro on one side and are both strong men. And Mr. Malono was without doubt a strong man. No doubt Mr. Okoy would nevor have seen the House if my Absolute Majority Bill had been on the statute took." CLYDEVALE ESTATE. A suggestion in connection with tho Clydovale. Estate brought forth the reply : ''Wo could not come to terms. Tho estate was not missed. The Government simply could nafc come to within lOs-of the price required. All negotiations between Government and owners wore off beforo the purchasing syndicate appeared. You see, other people when they have bought and subdivided for snlo an estate can auction it and recoup th'emsolves easily. Wo can't. We had not to compete with the syndicate at 'all, for they did not go near tho property till thiy got word from us that our; negotiations were off. Another property, too, tho same syndicate stood out of whilo the Government was negotiating. We secured it. The syndicate acted very honourably. 'Xhero will be a big debate in tho House in regard to Clyc'.ovalo. The public have got interested ovor it, and Mr. Tom Mackenzie is on tho trail." "How is it that you could not negotiate?" the reporter asked. '*The reason"' said the Minister '-js that we have got to open up ground with roads before subdivision, and oxpqriencc has shown lhat tenants will j put up with far less from private landlords in tho reading of property than from tho Government. When we put utt property we have got to distribute tno total cost over the whole land, and then the successful man is determined by t ballot. If 300 men wanted one section we won't get one single penny mofe than if only one wanted it. The private individual might get 50 per cent, more on account of these 300 competing. Take that all over the property, and- 10s an acre 13 nothing. You can very easily regard 103 as nothing on a property when there is that distinction." "If under the Lands for Settlement Act you had power to auction leases : yo\x could afford to buy at the highest price?" I l 'My answer to that," said Mr. I M'Nab, "would bo 'undoubtedly, and tho more active the land market is more j wo feel our disability, because vendors won't mention torms or give a firm offer S for any length of time. The result is 1 that outsido buyers intervene and anticipato the actions of tho Government. ( A property was put under offer to as ' the other day and bof oro statutory for- ' malities could bo '■omplied <vith anothci person had it at tho same figure." "To sum up in rogard to the Land Bill" said tho Minister, "I still feel vory confident, and I still think my ! anticipations will turn oat to be correct." NATIVE LANDS. In conclusion Mr. M'Nab remarked : "I sco that tho Taranaki Farmers' Union Conference opposed any tnethud of dealing with native lands which would create native landlordism. They want tho country, like the moa. The , freehold of the Maori over his land is to bo destroyed by men who profess that thoy will defend the freehold to tho last breath. No, I've got nothing to aay about it."