LAND FOR SOLDIERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 90, 12 October 1940, Page 8

LAND FOR SOLDIERS

BILL BEFORE HOUSE

OPPOSITION CRITICISM

DEBATE ADJOURNED

The opinion that the measure did not .constitute the best method of approach for the acquisition of land for soldiers after the war and that good results would be achieved if cooperation were sought from the owners of the many large estates that were not intensively fanned was expressed by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon during the second reading debate on the Small Farms Amendment Bill. The Bill, said Mr. Hamilton, dealt with a very important subject that deserved time and consideration being given to it, - Not only the Government, but also the House, had a responsibility in the rehabilitation of the soldiers, and the Opposition would be quite pleased to join in giving a hand. Because mistakes were made last time, said Mr. Hamilton, it was not to say that the present Government would not make mistakes. The Government would make mistakes this time and he could see them coming.' It was wonderful the way members of the Government "threw off" at the farming community. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry): You have no right to say that. Mr. Hamilton said he was not referring to the Ministry, but to some of the back-benchers.. He criticised the Minister of Lands for bringing in the Bill a. day or two before the session 1 closed when the . Minister had had! the subject in his mind for. a long time. ; ■ • ; ■ . : The Minister of Lands, said Mr. Hamilton, had said that at the present time' the Government had not got very much land. He. was surprised to hear that, because he. had thought the Govern-; ment, through the various Departments of State, must have had a good deal of land on hand. . PURCHASING SYSTEM. "I have no objection to the' Government getting land," said' Mr. Hamilton, "but I wouldn't say that the purchasing system has broken down." In his opinion there were thousands1 of acres that, with a proper approach, the Minister.could-get today at a rea-^ sdhable price. Under the Bill resort: to arbitration would result,, and.his-i tory proved that when the Govern-, ment took by compulsion it usually came off second best. . ; " "I-think," added Mr. Hamilton, "that; the. Minister's approach here is a little: disturbing, and I should say not in; the best interests of getting the land he needs." ; ;. Another point made by Mr. Hamilton; was that he did not think.there would.' be so many men who' would be keen' to go on the land when they came back from the war this: time. At the end :of the last war farming; was very profitable -arid,; the. Arbitration .Court was holding .Wages, down too much. Out of the; unfairness and wrongs -.of last time, they did not want now to go to the other extreme. That would be the tendency. Mr. Hamilton said that while he was in sympathy with the objective of the Bill, he hoped the Minister would not hurry it through. The Farmers' Union would like to give evidence on it, and he would ask that the people affected by it should be given a chance to be heard. ,Jf, the. Minister put the Bill through with an element of speed it might- create a measure of fear and unfriendly feeling. He asked him not to hurry the Bill through the House. The Minister: We. hurried conscription through. . GOOD LAND NEEDED. Mr. E. L. Cullen (Government, Hawke's Bay) said it was no good starting a land' settlement scheme unless they settled good land. There were still plenty of areas of good land held by families. For some of the first-class dairy land near Gisborne and Hastings the owners were asking £100 an acre, but no farmer could farm land at that price. . Mr^.W. J-- Poison .(National, Stratford) suggested that the men should be given an opportunity to learn farming—there should be a period of probation during which ;tlie men could be paid wages. It was no good putting inexperienced men on land that only experienced men : with sufficient capital could operate. The discussion continued throughout the- afternoon, and when/ the usual time came for tea adjournment, the Prime Minister suggested that the Bill should .be \ put through all stages, though it could not be dealt with during the present session by the Legislative Council. This would give time for adequate representations to be made,, as amendments which the Government considered necessary could be included during consideration by the Council. The Leader of the Opposition said he would regret any decision to go on with the Bill, because they would like a longer time for consideration. He thought the Prime Minister had suggested, though he had not promised, that he. would be satisfied with the second reading. To lose control of the Bill would, he declared, be a bit too much. They wished to hear represen--1 tations which were to be made by the Farmers' Union and returned soldiers and others, and would like to know what they thought before finally pass- ! ing the Bill. It was the Opposition's duty to keep control until the representations were made. DEBATE ADJOURNED. Following further criticism of the Bill by members of the Opposition, the Prime Minister at 5.53 p.m. moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr. Fraser said that after consultation with the Minister of Lands he had decided that it would meet the wishes of both sides of the House if a further opportunity were given to discuss the Bill on the second reading. Almost every member of the Government would like to speak in favour of the Bill, and probably members on the opposite side of the House would want to criticise it. He thought it would be in keeping with democratic institutions if ample opportunity was given for further discussion. The Bill would come on first on the Or4er Paper when the House resumed, because everyone must agree that the Bill was of the greatest importance. The reason the Government and the Minister were anxious to get it on the Statute Book was so that plans could be made right away for the rehabilitation of the soldiers. The House adjourned at 5.55 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 28. '_ It is said that foot and mouth disease is rife throughout Germany, and no vac""" -"""* v" *.-.~ *v=«4j n g