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King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 609, 8 October 1913, Page 7

EXTENSION.' Referring to the Government's land policy. Si" Joseph Ward said he agreed that wo important a question must be approached with care, but it should also be grappled resolutely. He contended that the true way of dealing with the land settlement question now was by an extension of graduated taxation. The time had come for limited freehold. He himself had always been an optional tenure man. though he believed it was right for those with leasehold views to be considered equally with believers in the freehold, but the bill berore them laid down,the freehold tenure. An Hon Member: It is optional. PENAL CLAUSES NECESSARY. Sir Joseph Ward: You can call it what you like, but it is a freehold tenure. lam satisfied the only way of encouraging closer settlement is by increasing the graduated land tax, by the limitation of areas, and by a recognition of the fact that the freehold is io'bs limited freehold, and that an optional leasehold is to be provided for. Side by side with that there will have to be penal legislation preventing reaggregation. I am quite confident of that. (Hear, hear.) The clauses of this are only tinkering with the question.