LAND CONTROVERSY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22129, 18 September 1946, Page 4

LAND CONTROVERSY

EX-SERVICEMEN’S TENURE STATEMENT BY MR. BRYANT (P.A.) . . HAMILTON, Sept. 18. “Tile Minister of Lands, Mr. C. F. Skinner, lias issued a statement in regard to my controversy with the Government,” states Mr. D. V. Bryant in a press statement. “He accuses me of ignoring an ageold economic maxim. The Minister Knows perfectly well that fundamentally my whole claim agains.t him is that he is ignoring the age-old moral maxim, Stand last .to your promises.' Whether there is, or is not, official piejudice against the Bryant tenure is perfectly irrelevant, although 1 cannot oelieve the Minister is repudiating his piefeience lor leasehold. My submission is .that immediately before .the 11)43 election the Government promised that servicemen taking up Crown lands should have the option of choosing between a 33-year lease and Bryant teniae, •taut promise was in writing. „ " It , w f, s implemented by legislation by the conditions of purchase published by the department. I was perfectly satisfied that the promise of the Prime Minister had been honoured despite economic maxims. This is wnciG the Question o£ preference arises.

, tan explain the Government’s attitude only on the assumption that, contrary to all expectations (Mr. Skinner says there was little support elsewhere), most servicemen prefer a limited freehold.

‘‘A" a statement, issued to A grade settle!s, it IS distinctly said that no cash payment whatever is required in the case of loans on leasehold even though improvements, stock and' chat- !’? s uxceec i the limit, but the explanation does not matter. In buying private m n n,, a r y , SV zen , can the freehold. In buying Ciown land men who offered their lives for their country are in piactice denied the promised option.”