LAND FOR THE LANDLESS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14416, 5 July 1907, Page 4

LAND FOR THE LANDLESS.

TO THB EDITOK. Sir.—Any reasonable being muse admit that 'great facilities havo been given to bring large areas under close settlement and cultivation by the feeddon, and now the Ward, Administration's. Thoso who have taken up land on tho conditions laid down by the Government understood these conditions, and whether it was leasehold or freehold, the covenant or title, ae the case may be, is expected to be honourably adhered to by the Crown, equally so in the case of "essees. The weakness appears to creep out, when prosperous leaseholders seek to acquire the freehold, after stating that they only wanted the leasehold, and when the Government does not afik them to throw up the leasehold if they are disKitisfied. Certainly the Bill before the country is not right in asking lessees to break the covoaant and enter upon fresh .agreements. If they are not satisfied, let them throw up what they cannot do with. There are heaps of landless ones who will bo glad to taKe up tho land under the present conditions. Now, when I state landless ones, J landless—viz., those who have no holdillgs_ie meant, and not the class that hi & mim.v instances have been able to |

obtain the lands advertised for ballot. Rich people have got hold of some oi the lands, both freehold and leasehold, and also people who had good farms and who sold out when they managed to secure the Government lands. In some cases of pastoral leases, _ the- lessees need not even live on the land, but can. follow their calling in the large city scores of miles away. No doubt ill every case thev may bo adhering to conditions of covenant and benefiting themselves thereby. Tho question involved, and which this letter is intended to bring to the front, is this, how much roally has been done, or is done, to place humble and landless men'on areas over twenty acres* At present every possible means seem to bo adopted to get a class' upon the land that have means to fence, build, work and stock the same, and hold out until the sales for produce or stock have obtained. In the caeo of a bad season, if they could not hold over. the time, tho' Government would, no doubt, generously assist or waive payments of rent for such. It has done so even to wealthy persons, and all honour to the Government for doing eo. ! But hero is tho rub : There is precious ! little done for the humble landless

ones, who would be able to get along all right if they got the help at the start. Other colonies help people at the start, and, if possible, this should he done in New Zealand. Before suggesting any ideas that might be proceeded with, permit me to make a few remarks with regard to Mr M'Nab's Bill. Personally! lam in favour of the areas being subdivided but do 1 not quite follow the method of the Minister of Lands of taking over the same. If the Crown has not enough land for landless ones seeking the same, why not givo notice

to all holders of largo areas that the Crown requires their land over a prescribed number of acres allowed, and compensate them at a value that would be fair, to enable a settler to stand one or two bad seasons, if needs be? Values/at a booming time are fictitious, and'should never bo given, ae the first fluctuation of prices on commodities, or a bad season, would simply mean Tuin. The Crown need not pay in immediate cash, and it need not immediately take over all the lands notified, but as required. Before leaving the question of reducing large areas oi freehold, I would here suggest that the same intention be applied to all uovernmeut leaseholds of- 1- .id with values over the amount indicated to freeholds For years I have noticed that J.hese leaseholders of large territory block out settlement. It is only fair to treat all impartially. Personally, I am of the impression that much more land should bo laid aside as endowments for necessary purposes, but not to be alienated from the Crown, as endowments have been in the past. To return to the landless ones, lhere is probably enough land on hand, or boin"- opened up by tha Government, to give a start at once, and on the following conditions:—(l) No rent tor the first v&ar, the labour on the iand being equable to rent. (2) Where material is not available for fencing posts and rails, let the material bo advanced for same, and buildings and stock-, plant and seed. Capitalise the amount with interest at- -- per cent, payable by instalments over a defined number of years. Kent to bo paid apart from this. (3) Overseer to direct lessees how to proceed with clearing and cultivation, or, in the case or pastoral lands, how to deal with stocK. Instead of these settlers being liable, to be taken advantage of by unprincipled buv«rs let the Government take over their produce and stock at true value. The Government could utilise it tor its own requirements or dispose of it. This to hold good for frre years. In no case should lessees have any right to sell out, unless it xa their

crops or stock, or parts of the same,' that aro free of indebtedness to thfl State. Indeed, this should -apply to all lessees under uie Crown, and stop th« trafficking with Crown lauds that goes on at present. Probably I have exceeded all limit, and there is yet a question to bo answered. Where k the money for euoli advance to como from ? Well, ■ thara is a surplus to bo drawn upon, and; rents from leaseholds that should ba set apart for land purposes and, if necessary, money has as much right to bo borrowed to assist such a, schema as to bolster up and ease otherSj which, the Government has done again and again.—l am, etc., DONALD M'LENNAN.