43 TO 20

Grey River Argus, 21 August 1943, Page 3

43 TO 20

MAJORITY FOR LAND BILL On First Divisions [Per Press Association] | WELLINGTON, August 21). 1 Continuing the debate on the ( second reading of the Servicemen’s I Settlement and Land Sales Bill, in ( the House after midnight, Mr H. S.' S. Kyle (Ind.. R'iccarton) said that most of the 'figures that had been used to decry land settlement and direction of houses had been used for other purposes when it suited the Government. They were figures that could be used both ways. If the Government had brought the Bill down as a bit of window dressing he , thought they had made a mis-. take. | Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Nat., Wai-. tomo) quoted from the Abstract of ‘ Statistics for April, this year, and j contended that figures shown there constituted a complete refutation of 1 all talk that had been heard about! trafficking in land. Mr Broadfoot moved the following amendment: — •‘While affirming the principle of rehabilitating servicemen on land on generous terms, and recognising the , need for stabilisation of land values, this House considers the present Bill should be postponed till after the General Election, for the. following reasons: (1) That it is undersirable | to pass legislation affecting long-es- < tablished principles of land tenure, both country and town, by a Parliament which will complete its term of office in seven days’ time. (2) That already anomalies have been revealed as indicated by the Government’s announcement that several far-reaching amendments are to be introduced. (3) That the provisions ( of the Bill need more careful scrutiny than can be given in the time available. (4) That the provisions for determining the value of properties to be taken or acquired aye inadequate, and likely to cause hardship, and even operate unfavourably to servicemen. (5) That the provisions of Part Three of the Bill go beyond what is necessary to procure, suitable land for servicemen, and can work most inequitably against own-J ers of land and houses, including, servicemen themselves, both of this war and the last war. (6) That land is already available in the hands ofJ the Government for settlement of / returned servicemen, and other lands could be secured if a comprehensive survey were made, and that therefore there is no immediate urgency for the passing of the Bill this session. (7) That there is ample provision in the existing laws, including the Lands for Settlement Act, Small Farms Act and Public Works Act, for acquiring at fair prices by negotiation or by compulsion, land for settlement of servicemen. (8) So that a measure more nearly meeting the wishes of servicemen themselves, as expressed by their recognised organisation, the R.S.A., may be worked out.” Mr J'. A.. M. Roy (Nat., Clutha) seconded the amendment. He concluded his speech at 12.42 a.m. Immediately both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition rose to their feet. The Speaker (Mr Barnard) called on the Prime Minister, who applied the closure with a formal motion, “that the question, be now put.” He mentioned that ah members of the 1 Opposition had spoken or had had the opportunity to speak. j , , Mr Holland: Not on the amendment. . ' „ , Mr Bodkin rose to a point of order, asking the Speaker to put the motion to the House. He stated the matter rested within the Speaker s discretion and he was the guardian of the privileges of the House. The closure was not put as a matter of right. The Speaker stated the position was that the debate on the second reading was now in the fourth day, and nearly 31 hours had been spent in the debate. All members of the Opposition had had the opportunity of speaking, and had spoken. Most of the ground covered by the amendment had also been covered in the debate. He then put Mr Frasers motion. , A division list was called for. and the closure motion was carried at 2.47 a.m. by 43 votes to 20, the division list being as follows: — Ayes: Anderton .Atmore, Barclay, Barrell, Boswell, P. Carr, C. Carr, Chapman, Coleman, Combs, Cottrill, Cullen, Denham, Dreaver, Fraser, Frost, Hodgens, Howard, Jones, Lowry, McCombs, MacFarlane, McKeen,‘ Mason, Meachen, Munro, Nash. Neilson, Nordmeyer, Osborne, Parry, Petrie, Richards, Roberts, Robertson, Schramm, Semple, Skinner, Stewart, D. Sullivan, Thorn, Webb, Williams. Noes: Acland, Bodkin, Broadfoot, | Cobbe, Doidge, Endean, Forbes, Gor- ■ don, Hamilton. Harker, Holland', ( Kidd, Kyle, Massey, Polson, Mrs ■ Polson, Roy, W. /Sullivan, Suther- I land, Wilkinson. ’ The amendment moved by Mr' Broadfoot was put immediately, and defeated by the same vote on a divis- 1 ion being called for, and the second reading was also passed by 43 to 20. 1 Mr Fraser then moved that the, House at its rising should adjourn , until 2.30 p.m. to-day (Friday), when the Bill would be considered’ in committee. This was carried on the voices, and the House rose at 3.15 a.m. During the day 19 speakers took part in the debate, there being six Government speakers, twelve Nationals and one Independent (Mr Kyle). Altogether 40 speakers had taken part in the second reading debate. GOVERNMENTS AMENDMENTS WELLINGTON, August' 20. When the House resumed to-day a number of amendments to the bervicement’s Settlement and Land Bill . were introduced by Governor-Gen-| eral’s message. The Minister of Lands, Hon. J. G. Barclay, stated that, with one exception, they were amendments which he had indicated would be brought down in the course of his second reading speech. The first amendment makes it clear that a majority decision of the Land Sales Court must include that of the Judge. A sub-clause, authorisino- the Lands Sales Committees to obtain the opinion of expert valuers or others, is struck out of the Bill. Another amendment makes it clear that the section relating to the acquisition of land for the settlement of discharged servicement applies only to farm land. Native land is to be exempted from the provisions or the Bill. A new clause states that the legislation is to continue in force until the expiration of five years after the present war. After the introduction of the amendments, Mr Fraser moved tor urgency for the passirig of the Bill. He indicated that the House would go through until the Bill was passed. The Opposition called for a division on the motion for urgency. 'Phe motion was carried by 41 vorns to 19. Opening the debate on the short title, Mr S. G. Holland said that the Opposition knew that the Government. by weight of numbers, could i put the measure on the Statute ' no matter what the Opposition did; so they did not propose to obstruct it. The Prime Minister said that the Government had asked for suggestions for the improvement of the

measure, and earlier in the day had •received a deputation from the Farmers’ Union. That deputation had put forward certain suggestions, some of which appeared to him to i be very drastic, and, in some respects, revolutionary. They had been put forward as best they could produce at short notice, and they required some working out. They were being closely examined. The Government wa- willing to look at any improvements. Mr Fraser added that he thought i.be position of the R.S.A. should be made clear. A message had been received by Mr Barclay from Mr C. O. Bell, vice-presi-dent of the association, stating that they approved entirely of the principle of the Bill, but they suggested two separate Bills for the control of sales and soldier settlement. Mr Fraser said there was no opposition to the principle, but only to the method.'', and if methods could be improved the Government would give its full co-operation. The Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, again referred to the incipient land boom, and said that a land agent had told him that the position had been developing gradually for the last eighteen months. •Mr Holland said that official figures showed that the average price of land had decreased in the past year. DEBATE LIVENS. When the House resumed at 7.30 the debate on the short title was continued. Members of the Opposition talking on familiar lines. The Minister of Lands, Mr. Barclay, said that, to satisfy those who suggested that small farms might be taken by I the Government, an amendment would be introduced providing that no property would be taken unless it was capable of sub-division. Hon. A. Hamilton (Ind. Nat. Wallace) asked why the Government did not apply to farm lands the same valuation method that was being applied to urban lands Mr. F. W. Doidge (Nat. Tauranga) discussed the right of the farmer to the freehold. The Prime Minister said Mr, Doidge had come to New Zealand from Lord Beaverbrook to smash New Zealand industry. He was an enemy of pro°"l*6SS. Mr. J.,A. Roy (Nat. Clutha): “Is not th e Member for Tauranga a returned soldier?” Mr. Fraser: “I don’t know." Mr. Roy: “You know all right!” Other’ Opposition Members interjected, and the chairman of committees, Mr. R. McKeen, rose and asked Mr. Fraser to keen to the Bill. Mr. Fraser said the Member tor Wallace could have been of some help, but he had just talked with animated prejudice, which was not understandable. An Opposition Member; “A rift in lute!” . ' , Mr. Fraser went on to describe the clause dealing with the method of valuing land, and he commented that thev bad been five hours on the short title, which, he said, was an unprecedented thing in recent years. Mr, Holland said he could not understand the Prime Minister when he referred to Mr. Hamilton’s constructive criticism as animated prejudice. No one in the House knew more or land values than Mr. Hamilton, who had made a valuable contribution to the debate. Mr. Fraser said he certainlv Withdrew his comment regarding the Member for Tauranga, and he added that the Member for Wallace’s had been most helpful Replying to a question by Mrs. I 01son (Nat. Mid-Canterbury) Mr.. Nash said the Government had considered the proposals submitted by the Farmers’ Union. The first proposal, that mortgages should be limited, would have no effect on those who could pay the full price, but those who could not pay the full amount would be very badly affected, enviously it would cut out all the ad* vantages of the loan margins which the Government had encouraged for some years through the State Advances Corporation. It would mean that the man with a little cash but a lot of ability would be at a disadvantage. The second proposal, of a transfer tax, made him wish they could have had it during recent years provided that existing sales had ’taken place. Th’e suggestion was not that the Government would collect! u ninety per c<=m., out that the sales would not take place, ancl the Government would collect nothing! It was a revolutionary proposal* and if the Opposition moved it as’ an amendment, the Government would think about accepting it. At 11-45 the debate on the short title had been in progress for 64 hours, and the House was left .sitting at midnight with, the indication of another very late sitting. Farmers’ Union Proposals SUBMITTED TO MINISTERS. PA WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. A deputation of members of the Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Farmers Union, headed by the President. Mr. W. W. Mulholland, waited on the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, and the Minister of Lands, Mr. Barclay to-dayf, and placed before them the following proposals as a basis for legislation to deal with the possible undue inflation ot land Pr Firstly: T o prevent inflationary prices, "a limit of 'the amount or mortgage that could be registexed against any property was proposed. Secondly: * A transfer tax on farm lands, commencing at ninety per cent, of the difference between the consideration in the sale and the previous ‘ sale, if two sales were made within two Years; the tax to be reduced by five 'per cent, per annum for eacn year exceeding two in the period between the transfers. The same principle to apply to residential or busi- ‘ ness property where the 'price inI creased by more than ten per cent. I Thirdly: All farm property rot sale first to be offered to the Grown for settlement by returned soldiers, and the Crown to exercise the Ugnt to purchase within one fftmtUG ...., Fourthly: Inter-family tiansactions to be exempt, from these provisions. Fifthly: These provisions to opera'lc for hot more than live years attet ' ''The'deputation, on the question of the acquisition of land lor soldiei settlement, suggested ,lia * p^ P V.nd e r acquisition should be effected undei the Lands for Settlement Act, with amendments, if necessaiy, to present conditions. The deputation also asked tor a survey of lands suitable for soldier I settlement, with particular attention to blocks of land suitable for co-oper-ative group development. Returned Men provided WITH OVER 100 FARMS, AND OVER 300 HOUSES. PA WELLINGTON, Aug. 20. J 'The Headquarters of the R.S.A. has I hcen advised that the number or house, Properties Squired by ex-servicemen P f°tlm present war, with Kehabffita-. Hon finance, has now exceeded three hU Over d ’one hundred farm properties have also been taken up, and all i nV these have been acquired through, the State Advances Corporation, un-j der Iho freehold tenure. |