"STICK TO THE LAND"

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 84, 6 October 1922, Page 4

"STICK TO THE LAND"

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR SETTLERS

SECURITY OF TENURE.

Moving the second reading of the Land Laws Amendment Bill in th© House of Representatives last night, the Minister of'Lande (the Hon. D. H. Guthrie) said. the whole object of the measure was to improve the chances of occupiers of Crown lands, and to give a greater security of tenure-and a greater incentive to tenants to stick to their land.

Mr. G. W. Forbes (Hurunui) argued that" the freehold principle was aiding aggregation. There were too many good farmers in the cities.

Mr. T. W. .'Rhodes (Thames) claimed that the measure would enable many settlei-s in difficulties to make goad. "This Bill might be called the 'As you *like it Bill,'" declared Mr. G-. Witty (Riccarton), who said that it enabled a man with the leasbold to secur^ the freehold and vice versa. At the same time be wished to say that the obvious object of the Bill was to make things easier for' the men on the land.

.The Hon. J. A. Hanan (Invercargill) said the imperative need was to place more people on the land—the Bill before the House did not do this. The pro- j posal _ to -allow a freeholder to convert' his title to a leasehold was an indication of the reversal of the policy of the Government; it gave a gleam of hope to those members who claimed that certain conditions would arise which would show the folly of giving the freehold of all holdings.

Mr. W. T. Jennings (Waitomo) said it was all very well to talk of freehold and leasehold, but what concerned him most was the disadvantages under which the settlers lived in the backbloclu of the North Island. No more settlement should proceed unless-roading was provided. To his idea the land shoald be-, long to the man who made the most of it.. He also referred to the wild pig menace, and urged the Prime Minister to go into that serious question. The Minister of Agriculture: "We are obtaining reports now."

Mr. W. D. Lysnar (Gisborne) aaid he regarded the Bill as an honest attempt to remove some of the difficulties of land settlement—proposals to encom'age settlers to get the best out of their holdings. ,

Mr. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua), urged that the residential provisions should be made more elastic. He supported every clause jin the Bill most heartily. Mr. J. D. Burnett (Temukaj said the Bill dealt mainly with high mountain top land. ■ . .

Mr. K. S. Williams (Bay of. Plenty) drew the Minister's attention 'to the damage done by wild pigs breeding in reserves, and urged the Government to prevent gambling in land. The Minister in reply, spoke with satisfaction of the spirit of helpfulness shown by members. . " / The Bill was read a second .time.