The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY. OCTOBER 30, 1928. A DECEITFUL LAND POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10730, 30 October 1928, Page 4

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED DAILY TUESDAY. OCTOBER 30, 1928. A DECEITFUL LAND POLICY.

In the course of Ids address at Makaraka, Mr Coleman, the Labor aspirant for the Gisborne seat, rightly laid great stress on the importance of the land question, What must have occurred to many electors, however, was that in* displayed too great anxiety to impress upon one and all that “there was no hole in the corner business about Lalxjr’s land policy,’’ and that “oui party stands for what is in our printed platform.” As it so happens, Mr Coleman will find that ho succeeded in doing just what was furthest- from his real intentions—regjjdfo memories of what, is contained in the Labor Party's Objective and of what was in Labor’s land policy of only three years ago and create the gravest possible doubt as to whether sincerity lies behind its new land platform! It may bo recalled that, in 1925, Mr Coleman stumped the electorate on behalf of the principle that all privately owned land should be re-valued; tlmt the State should have the power to acquire properties compulsorily; that no privately owned land should he sold or transferred except to the State; and that an owner could, if he so desired, surrender his property at the new State valuation! Nothing, perhaps, did more to encompass tho defeat of Labor at the 1925 General Elections than the realisation by the bulk of the electors that its land policy was saturated with Bolshevism. Is it any wonder, then, that Mr Coleman would prefer to see the electors concentrate on what is contained in Labor’s latest land policy? Maybe, be will now attempt to hoodwink them by- pointing out Labor is now willing to recognise an owner’s interests in his land, including tenure, the right of sale, transfer and bequest! The fact remains, however—and Mr Coleman would not attempt to deny it—that the main objective of the Labor Party is ‘tlie socialisation of the means of production, distribution and exchange.” It would be well, therefore, if some elector at one of his meetings would prove energetic enough to stress Labor’s deceit on this important matter and demand an acknowledgment of the fact. Without any doubt, Labor has merely made another temporary change in its attitude on this vital plank. If the Labor Party led by Mr Holland were to achieve power, it could easily enact its laid aside proposal to have a new valuation made of all lands and it could then turn round and say that the owners’ interests that it had in its mind 'were based on the new figures and proceed merrily with a scheme of nationalisation with the aid of paper money!