LAND SETTLEMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 15293, 19 September 1913, Page 5

LAND SETTLEMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —When the present Government got into office the people expected to see some reform in the land lairs, but np to the present the only thing new is the freehold, and that is no good for the poor people. It won't help them to get on to the land. All the j/ood the present Government have done is to help tho capitalist along. It was the land question that put tho present Government where they are to-day, and tho people naturally thought that the Massey Government were going to give them closer settlement. Tho land question ’.s a vital question in the Dominion to-day, and the people must get land. I saw a letter in a paper some lime ago written by three young men who are in a foreign land, stating that they would come bade to New Zealand now that Mr Mnsscv was in power, and they would be able to cot a piece of land. They will be greatly disappointed if they do come back, as the people in the Dominion cannot get land under the present Government. Mr Kussell stated in tho House recently that the Ward Government had settled 430,000 acres in 1911, but this Government (whose motto was “Settlement, more settlement, and' still more settlement “) had only settled 153,000 acres in their first year of office. Ihe Hon. Mr (Massey sa-id lie was going to give everyone a square deal. The people are waiting very patiently for that square deal to come along. Thev are not. satisfied with promises ; they want deeds. The Ward Government were giving tho people settlement in a small way, but that did not satisfy them. They wanted move settlement. But under the so-called Reform party, who have promised mows settlement, we are getting less. There was some talk a while back in the House about pushing the miner, but what is the miner going to do if he is stopped from mining? If the Government will give the inineis land, they will go of themselves. Lnder the present laws, if the minor applies lor a- piece of land, it is refused him. Iho only tiling lelt for the miners will he to chase bunny for the squatter, or e.se leave the country, i lie miner, working in creeks and river beds, destroys very little land, but what I do object to is huge companies destroying valuable freehold property and orchards. Ihe people would like to see some reform in rcgaiM to the election of land Loaids. there is some agitation going on at present that all land hoards sho*7d ho elected by the people. The vote should bs universal, and not by Crown tenants only. At present men can he put on (lie boards by favor. If all land boards were elected by the people wo would get tha vci\ best men to uirthcr the advancement of closer settlement in the Dominion.—l am. etc., (Ji.d (Miner. .September 17.