LAND PURCHASE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 27 September 1924, Page 5

LAND PURCHASE.

ALLEGATION AND DENIAL

(By Telegraph—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. The Premier and the member for Patea had a difference of opinion in the House to-night over the purchases of soldiers’ land. Mr Forbes had called attention to the exceptional amount in arrears in the Auckland and Gisborne and districts, showing that’ in Auckland, where the total receipts amounted to £179,000, the- arrears and postponements reached £158,000. . McLeod, Minister of Lands, said that the matter was easily explained. He had noted the large amount in arrears m the Auckland and Wellington districts particularly, and he found that the greatest difficulty >in eollecting payments from soldiers was where they had settled on dairying land. There was less trouble on sheep areas, which recovered quickly from the slump. Mr Corrigan: Is it not a fact that the reason why arrears are so numeious is that the price of land was too high? Land was bought indiscriminately, and I have yet to find an estate bought for soldiers which did not belong to a Government supporter. ar 1 J^tty: You are wrong there. Mr Massey declared that the member lor Patea was in the habit of making these statements, and to put it bluntly he was aUegmg dishonesty on the part ot the Government.

Air Smith: Does the cap fit? Mr Massey: The hon. gentleman had better keep quiet about‘the cap fitting Ido not mind party tactics, u u 11 , fa , ir P ]a -y and that men should play the game. I say again that it fie knows anything wrong with one ot these purchases let us have it now. ,

Mr Corrigan: They were all bought too dear. s .

Sir Massey added that there was a National Government in office when Purchases were made, and responsibility was on all- the Ministers, includtioii 6 pvesent leader of the Opposi-

Mr Wilford: Each man fan his own department.

_ air Massey agreed, but pointed out that all important expenditure had to be approved by Cabinet. Mr Holland, smilingly, offered to ai bitrate, hut he proceeded to give his verdict, which was that both parties were responsible. air Corrigan said that he adhered to IV s , statement that it was significant that the lands were'purchased from Government supporters. Another significant fact was that all members of the valuation boards that he knew and lie knew a good number, were Government supporters. He knew of land offered, m Taranaki at £2O per acre on which, had it been purchased, soldiers would have done well, but a mi e and a half away a strong agitation was started by strong Government + Pl oA^ ers ’ wbose land was purchased at £4O per acre, and to-day the solhad lost their money on it. He challenged any one to point to land ■ °ni Rangitikei to New Plymouth that was not purchased from Government supporters. He was not sneaking from a party spirit—(Reform laughter)— but ™\V ac L been challenged bv the : Premier. Mi Massey: I am not Bone with you yet. \ J

Mr Bell said that one of the largest tv b ° Ught J n the Ba y of Islands a the eSmS,! “ Kt <* r

~ ! I d * d nat intend to reply to it—the thing was too mean,” declared Mr Guthne who was Minister of Lands when the purchases were made. He positively denied , that the political opinions of the vendors were thought ° r the land purchase b £ aldy Wbl 4 bad to 'report on all land °T; ed ’ TT inelud ing .those in Taranaki. ihe Hon. Mr McLeod, Minister of Lands, said that Mr Corrigan’s implication was unworthy of him accklent! ITigan: U mu ' sfc have been an

, The i Hon. Mr McLeod: If we purchased only from Government supportoveiy owner of land must Hh n wite l ]Sm ent “<***«•>• their' ,sw s "' K,: They >Te ehanged