EVADING THE LAW

Evening Star, Issue 12626, 4 October 1905, Page 7

EVADING THE LAW

A PROTEST FROM THE PREMIER. [From Our PABLiAJiEKTAUi Rbpohtbr-J WELLINGTON, October 4." In the House yustorduy afternoon, The Premier mad© reieieuce to the practice ousting amongst some large landowners of nominally dividing their holdings aiaongßt members of their family, in order to avoid Land Tas and the action of tho Land for Hettlomentjs Act. He said that some time previously hj« had visited Banks Peninsula with the member for Ljtteitou, with the idea ot seeming land for close settlement. The effort* of the Government in that direction, however, had been checked at every po;«t by the attitude of the landowners. One estato alone on Banks Peninsula had been divided into thirtouu parts, each held by a member for the family in order to evade the operation of the Act. The Leader of the Opposition: They are quite within their rights. The Premier: Yifi ;. and let me tell you that tho members of this House would be within their rights in passing an Act providing that such transfers shall not bo recognised when designed merely to evade the law. The transfers are simply bogus transfers, made on paper only. The estatifi are still worked as one Kock, the proceeds go into one pocket, and we have proof positive of cases in which the present owners have found the money with which they have been paid for land by members of their family. It is simply an evasion Of tho law, and if tho Leader of the Opposition thinks that H is a proper, thing, and can ordv say that, the responsibility of his ■position should prevent him admitting a right to evade the law. Mr Massey: They are within the law.. The Premier: It is a violation of the spirit of the law, and wc should stop t&chi from doing it. They are doing it to rtop the colonv from taking their land fof'cTose settlement and to" evade taxation. ;_\ ,* Mr Massey: It will be a eorry day for the country if the colony ever goes baik on the Statute Book and prevents a man giving a part of his property to his son or daughter.