POWERS AND THEIR USE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 70, 20 September 1943, Page 4

POWERS AND THEIR USE

"The Act is an honest endeavour to stabilise land values and prevent sales at prices above production' value," said the Minister of Rehabilitation (Major Skinner) in defence of the pro.visions of the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act. This statement is in line with claims that have been made by Labour spokesmen that the legislation is part 'and parcel of the Government's general stabilisation plan and is in fact a war measure, designed to deal with conditions arising directly from the war. Such -claims are difficult to substantiate in view of the essential difference between the conditions applying in the case of wage stabilisation and the conditions applying to the so-called land stabilisation. Wages stabilisation applies only for the duration of the war, whereas the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act is to operate for the duration of the war and five years thereafter. Major Skinner also spoke of "wild and woolly" stories which have been circulated about the likely effects of I the legislation on the rights of property owners, but in view of what has happened in the past it is necessary to judge the measure by what is written into it. The very wide powers of the Reserve Bank Amendment Act were taken with the understanding that they would only be used in an emergency. In actual fact the Government used those powers to put its policy of import selection and currency control into operation. That policy has now become a permanent feature of the country's economy. Just recently the Minister of Supply (Mr. Sullivan) rebuked a Labour candidate for suggesting the possibility of a change of policy. In view of what happened then is there not good ground for fearing that the control powers now taken for an emergency will be continued and extended till they become the basis of real land nationalisation? It is, indeed, a long step towards nationalisation when the owner's right to use his property or sell it. as he wishes is subject to restrictions.