ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS

Evening Star, Issue 24948, 20 August 1943, Page 5

ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTIONS

PRESENT PROPOSALS INEQUITABLE (P A.) WELLINGTON, August 19. Resolutions about the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Bill, which were adopted at a combined conference of various organisations in Wellington on Tuesday, have been forwarded to the Prime Minister Mr Fraser. In a covering letter tho Associated Chambers of Commerce, under who=e auspices the conference was held, states: " H is asked that -you give your serious consideration to these representations, which are not intended to be in criticism of the Government's intention economically to settle returned soldiers on tho land, but are submitted in a helptu attitude. If it should happen thai* the Bill is not passed through all stages m the present week, the conference representatives would welcome an opportunity of a personal discussion with you early next week. The. organisations at the conference were the Associated Chambers, the New Zealand Farmers' Federation, the New Zealand Farmers' Union, the Now Zealand Sheep Owners' Federation, tho New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, New Zealand Stock and Station Agents' Association, the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, and the Ratepayers' Association. The conference unanimously agreed that any sound measure that would facilitate the settlement of returned soldiers on freehold land of their own or on leasehold land with the option to returned men to acquire the freehold should have and would have the full support and hearty co-operation of. all the bodies represented at the conference. The conference unanimously agreed that the Bill introduced in the House will not facilitate the settlement of returned soldiers in such a way as to give them the maximum opportunity of successful settlement and production and at the same time on terms that would be fair and equitable to the present owners of lands upon which returned soldiers might be settled. SEPARATE ISSUES CONFUSED. The conference unanimously suggested that the present Bill confuses and vastly complicates two entirely separate issues—iwo issues that ar<; not easily reconciled. These are: (1) The settlement on farm lands or returned soldiers, and (2) the stabilisation of hind prices. The conference therefore urges that these two issues ihould be kept cnlirely separate, and, if they are fo be taken up by legislation, then there should be completely separate Bills. The conference unanimously recom. mended that there should be a complete survey of lands, both Crown and . private,- suitable for soldier settlement, and that when the survey has been completed the owners of all properties coming under the survey should be invited to offer their lands for sale for the purpose of soldier settlement. If offers of sufficient suitable land are not forthcoming, it may be necessary to provide some form of compulsory acquisition. It was the unanimous opinion of the conference that the method and terms of compulsory acquisition set out in the Bill are unworkable and are unfair and unreasonable lo the present owners 6f the lands which might be so acquired. The conference urges that the most fair and equitable method of compulsory acquisition and basis of value is the method and basis that has hitherto prevailed in respect of the compulsory acquisition of land by Hie Crown, and it urges that I here 1 should always lie reserved to the present owners of such land the right of appeal to the highest, civil courts in the Dominion.

Concurrent with the introduction of any Bill to promole the acquisition of land fur soldier settlrmeni. I hero should also Im introduced a Bill providing a whole plan of soldier rehabilitation and pro-

viding in particular in regard to settlement of soldiers on farm lands details of the methods to be followed, the financial arrangements in regard to the lands, improvements and slock, the nature of -the title to be given to returned soldiers, and the nature and extent of any expense to be borne by the community by way of subsidy to facilitate the settlement of soldiers on a basis that would give (hem a full opportunity of farming holdings on »n economic and profitable basis. URBAN PROPERTIES. The conference was unanimously of the opinion thut urban lands, particularly, house properties, require entirely different treatment from farm lands, and suggests that there is only one sound method by which the market price of urban land?, and particularly of domestic houses, can be reasonably stabilised, that is by equating the supply to the demand. The conference, therefore, urges that, subject to the prior claims of the energetic prosecution of the war, the Government should encourage the operation forthwith of a vigorous policy of home building not only by the State, but more especially _by private enterprise, and that, pending the nearer equation of the supply to the demand in the matter of dwellings a direct subsidy should bo made available to reiurned soldiers for the provision of urban homes.

The conference urges very strongly that land legislation other than (if such is necessary) legislation to provide for a survey of lands suitable for returned soldier settlement, should be introduced in Parliament in the present session. If and when such further legislation is planned., it should be drafted in consultation with the representatives of those who will be specially affected by such legislation. It should then be circulated freely to the public, and when ultimately introduced into Parliament it should not be put through the Legislature without providing the fullest opportunity for all the interested parties to assist the Government in making the legislation sound, eouitable, and efficient. In the consideration of any legislation on these matters which it may be necessary to introduce to Parliament, the conference offers the Minister the co-operation of the' conference itself and of all those bodies represented at the conference.