THE LAND BILL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 299, 1 October 1910, Page 2

THE LAND BILL.

„ « At a meeting of the executive of the Auckland branch of the New .Zealand Farmers' Union recently, the chairman, Major Lusk, introduced the question of the Land Bill, which he considered the executive should express an opinion on. As far as he understood," the Bill was not being received with favourable consdieration on either side of the House, and there was a probability that it would die a natural death. At the same time, he thought they should express an opinion. Mr A. Ross, Waerenga, moved:— "That this executive notes with satisfaction that the Land Bill at present before Parliament embodies the principle that L.I.P. tenants on ordinary Crown Lands and on settlement lands shall have the right of purchase, and that such purchase can be made for cash, or deferred payments, but the executive does not think the land question will be satisfactorily settled until, with due provision to prevent aggregation, every Crown tenant has the right of purchase at the original valuation plus the acturial value of the Crown's interest in the sum, by which the unimproved value at the date of purchase exceeds the original value. The executive does not approve of the compulsory leasing proposals, as, waiving their justice or otherwise, it does not consider any such arrangement would be necessary if all Crown tenants had the right of purchase, on equitable terms, as in that case ample funds would be available for the purchase of estates." In moving the motion, Mr Ross said he did not think proper action had been taken up when this question was being conisdered. There was no proper policy underlying the scheme, and every time the question was brought up the executive should state their views so that members would understand there was a power behind them. Concluding, Mr Ross said: "It we state our minds strongly, this thing will be properly carried out." Mr J. Hamliton, Drury, seconded the resolution. Considerable discussion took place, several members thinking the resolution was going against the platform of the union. Finally, the motion was altered to read:—"That this executive notes with satisfaction that the Land Bill at present before Parliament embodies the principle that L.I.P. tenants on ordinary Crown lands and on settlement lands shall have the right of purchase, and that such purchase can be made for cash or deferred payments, but the executive does not think the land question will be satisfactorily settled until, with due provision to prevent aggregation, all L.I.P. tenants have the right of purchase at the original valuation, plus thfl actuarial value of the 1 per cent, allowance in rent. The executive does not approve of the compulsory leasing proposals as waiving their justice or otherwise it does not consider any such arrangement would be required if all Crown tenants had the right of purchase on equitable terms as in that case ample funds would be available for the purchase of estates." The resolution in this form was carried and it was decided that a copy of the resolution should be sent to all the members of the House.