LAND AND LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 49, 26 August 1922, Page 7

LAND AND LABOUR

,THE PARTY'S POLIOS POOMMUNITy-CREATED ■ ■ ■'/['■ ■ ■'•yAiiUES."- ;■ "■ :^-"\ " 'Amid a-chorus of interjections, especmUy from,couotiy members on the Government benches, Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West) yesterday expounded Labour's land policy to the House of Representatives. , . • Mr. Savage said that there had been allegations of confiscation the Labour Party. He would explain exactly what the party's- land policy was. The first plank was the of the national endowment! The Government was not doing that. Next there was the recognition of the interest of the whole community in the land by a land tenure based upon occupancy and use, and so securing to the working farmer the foil fruits of his labour. : A member: "How would you get hold of the land—confiscate it?", : Mr. Savage : "I am coming to that, bat I won't be side-tracked." ■ The new. tenure was to' secure to,the community the values created by the, community. The policy provided further for, the elimination of the exploitation :of the working fanner by the institution of a State bank, and the elimination 'of-the exploitation of the community by securing for it the rent of the land, ribw absorbed principally by the money-lend-ing institntidne. . , /■ - A member': '"What money-lending institutions ?**% -- < . Mr. Savage said that the money-lend- j ing institutions held' mortgages to the1 extent, of £231,000,000. ' That indicated that there was exploitation'which should ■not be tolerated. . v •: The Hon. C. J. Parr : "Would you cancel1 the mortgages?" Mr. Savage said there was a definite statement in the platform in favour of the/tenant's absolute right to improvements. Another proposal was better roading_of the backblocEs by, increased graduation of taxation on large estates. There should be a State valuation of all privately owned land, such valuation to remain oil record a* a measure of th% present landowner's interest in th 6 land; Was.that confiscation? Privatelyrowned land. should not .W transferred except to the State. . That was the only way to prevent land speculation. The genuine working. farmer could have no objection to that if'he got a fair valuation and, could transfer to the State at that valuation. - The Prjme Minister :, "Would that I apply.to city lands?" / , : Mr.. Savage:, "% city and country lands alike." If the representatives, of. the farmers only went;in for a scientific system of land taxation, the' bulk of it would be paid by the big city landlords. ■■'.■•,•■ ?y- ..,.- :■; '.;. .. . :■. •■ ,■■

I>r. Thacker: "They were the men who got the rebate. '■' •'••• '■■'.- Mr.- Savage, said that, another plank, was that all virgin land should be prepared for occupation -by the State. • The Prime Minister : "Hear, Hear." ■ Mr. Parry: "You have one' convert." , Mr. Savage, said .that: another proposal; •was: Encouragement of all 'forms of agricultural; co-operation. He went on to say that while the State had the powgr of taxation it' had the whip hand. How many faapiere'.: now held the title deeds of their freehold farms, and how many titles were in the hands of -the ■banks,and similar institutions?*, The Hon. 0. J. Parr (Minister of -Education) in the course of his Budget epeebh said he welcomed ■ 'the -• candour 'with which Mr. Savage had outlined the -kod. planks of Labour's platform. His enunciation of the policy had made it iclear that Labour "was out to collar all rente and abolish mortgages, The policy meant the confiscation of 'the, presentrights of the mortgagors. ' Mr. jSullivan : ', "We mean to take the unearned increment of the future." Labour, according to the Minister, stood for a State valuation of all land, such valuation to remain for all ,-time. The measure of a land holder's interest in this land would be fixed at once and for all time. Under such a policy a man would go into the King i Country, say, \6n land purchased'at £1 per acre. He .would work hard for a number of yeaTs but his interest would remain at the one value—■ £1 per acre. Labour would permit only; one purchaser of land-pthe State. If the, State were impecunious no land could be ■sold.:' ■":. . -'.'■ ■' :- ■■ \: '.', ..- -. f-r. :., : Mr. Holland : ''And land speculation would be killed." ': , The Minuter said that there was not one farmer,who would uphold- such a ■policy.,-' - ■■ ,'■'.- ' : -■' -.-. ■ ■ . • ■:' ■ Mr. Holland:; "You are making a mistake. You will find some farmer* standing as candidates on that platform!" The Minister : ''Explain that platform: to a farmer and be will run away." .;''.

Mr'.: Holland : '?No, he won't. The man who granted him a mortgage will see to that." _ ■

The Minister -wanted to know what the Orown wotilddo with the land. The whole policy was a ridiculous one, and he was glad that he had been given: an opportnnitT of exposing some of its fallacies. Mr. Savage stated that on one'point he had been misrepresented bjrijthe Minister. .He ,had - not stated that Labour would abolish .mortgages and confiscate the righte of mortgagors. He, stated (that the State would step in and replace %he mortgagor as they knew him to-day.