LAND POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 88, 15 April 1939, Page 7

LAND POLICY

N.Z. LABOUR PARTY

CONFERENCE DECISIONS

The New Zealand Labour Party Conference yesterday afternoon adopted a recommendation by the committee on land and agriculture that an experiment be made in co-operative farming.

Other recommendations adopted were that, pending an investigation into the position of sheep-farmers, a moratorium be instituted, and that a guaranteed price be considered.

The appointment of a committee of Labour members of Parliament to investigate the position of farmers who did not obtain relief under the provisions of the Mortgagors and Lessees' Rehabilitation Act, either through failure to make application or through alleged unsympathetic administration, was suggested.

The policy of the Minister of Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone) with reference to the treatment of deteriorated lands was approved. It was suggested that where suitable arrangements could be made mass development or improvement should be extended to privatelyowned land. The cost of this should be a first charge on the land, with easy repayments. ANIMAL DISEASES. I Other decisions were that the tenure of all lands purchased or resumed by the Crown, and offered for settlement, be on tenurable lease with full protection for improvements, and that the Government be congratulated on its efforts to deal with animal diseases, and urging that there should be no relaxation of the efforts to stamp them out.

The Government was urged to give most favourable and immediate consideration to the provision of land and finance to persons with farming experience.

The National Executive of • the party was instructed to organise an intensive propaganda campaign in the country districts with the object of winning the farmers to Labour, giving special attention to those seats held by the Opposition.