AN INJUSTICE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10727, 26 October 1928, Page 5

AN INJUSTICE.

IDEA OF INCREASING GRADUATED LAND TAX.

WEALTHY PASTORALISTS REQUIRED IN N.Z.

STATE FINANCE -PREFERABLE - TO STATE SETTLEMENT.

HON T. S. WESTONS VIEW.

■Press Association.* WELLINGTON, Oct: 25. ' The idea of increasing the graduated land; tax ,as a means of making land available for settlement, was opposed' by ‘the Hon. T. S.' .Weston in his presidential address at the annual ■meetin'g of the New Zealand Employers • Federation. How to expedite land settlement in New ' Zealand, said Air Weston, was a difficult problem. Much of tho land held in New Zealand in largo areas was purely pastoral country, which was more efficiently worked as such. It had boon proved by experience: that to cut up that class of land was a mistake. The wealthy pastoraiist also was required if we were to have better flocks and build up herds of high class cattle. Breeders, such as we ,hnd in New Zealand, were of great assistance to the fanning community. To regard them as hindrances to progress • was a. foolish . mistake. To increase the graduated l land' tax would be to injure and hamper men engaged in work vital to tlm progress ot the community. At the same time, it would be Injustice to those engaged in manufacturing and cither city trades and industries, which required high valued city land for their operations.

“it *is agricultural and dairying land where production by subdivision can be largely increased that we de-. sire to see more closely settled,’’ said Air Weston, “and unoccupied land now outside the margin of cultivation that we must bring into bearing. An increase ot the graduated! land tax is an unscientific solution of this nrohlem. It would injure the pastoraiist and the manufacturer, and the trader who are doing good national work. Some other solution must be found..; “Undoubtedly with the New Zealand standard of wages, dairy fanners will depend in the future more upon the single-handed efforts ot themselves and their families to work their farm,” he continued. “They 7 will find they can obtain better net returns for themselves bv working smaller areas. Hence without- any artificial pressure, the present dairy farms in the near future will be extensively subdivided-, lhe State will be able to assist in this by helping purchasers to finance rather than by nutting up tlie market oil these mu-chasers by wholesale Government nuJ’ehases for State settlement. Monies borrowed to lend to purchasers will be used more advantageously than if expended in compulsory purchases. The expenditure of £l-5,000,000 in settling returned soldiers unoii the land did- much to create the disastrous boom of 1920. What would he the- result of the expenditure of even larger ■ sums now in State purchase?”