POWER TO TAKE LAND

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 43, 19 August 1943, Page 6

POWER TO TAKE LAND

MR. FRASER'S DEFENCE O.C. AUCKLAND, This Day. Provisions of the Land Sales Bill were defended by the Prime Minister against a few critical interjections during his address in Whangarei last night. "Give them the freehold," called someone when the Prime Minister was speaking of rehabilitation and settlement provisions.

"My friend is a little bit off the track," replied Mr. F^raser. "The point is that the danger of speculation in freehold has vanished. I personally have no objection to freehold in these circumstances." (Applause.) Later, Mr. Fraser said there was no new provision in the Bill for taking farm lands in full occupation and use. A voice: There is. You can take any land. Mr. Fraser: No one would be so stupid. A voice: Write that into the Bill. Mr. Fraser replied that the Government consulted the best land valuation experts to see how it could keep land prices down to the productive value and give all concerned a fair deal. There was no more power than before to take land. If anyone had more than he needed he should follow the advice of Sir Andrew Russell and offer the surplus to servicemen. If people so placed would not sell voluntarily when asked compulsion would have to be used. However, no one would be so foolish as to take the land of a man who was running a herd of 50

cows. But if a man felt he was past farming and wanted to sell, machinery was provided. The meeting carried a vote of thanks to and confidence in the Government by acclamation.