LAND VALUES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 18220, 7 October 1919, Page 7

LAND VALUES.

THE AGGREGATION QUESTION. DRASTIC CLAUSE COMING. [Fbom Our Correspondent. ] WELLINGTON, October 6. There was a brisk discussion in tho House to-night upon land aggregation and soaring values as a consequence, it was alleged, of heavy State purchases for soldiers’ settlement. Speaking to the report on the progress of soldier settlement up till March 31, Mr Ell strongly advised the Minister of Lands to empower Land Boards to review all transfers and exercise a veto where the purchaser already possessed sufficient land. Boards should also have power to make inquiries whether land was going to a landless man or to a person with plenty. The Hon D. Buddo agreed with tho previous speaker. The extraordinary position was mainly due to the large number of purchases of small farms. The vendors got the cash and joined in the general chase for farms. The Government's policy of land purchase was largely responsible for the high prices. It should buy large properties tor subdivision. Mr Young urged that deceased soldiers’ widows should have an opportunity of purchasing a home or farm under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act. It would be a reasonable thing to extend tho Act to South African veterans. Mr Poole declared that the greatest possible care should be taken over the purchase of land for soldier*, and aggregation should he treated as A criminal offence. Tho Minister of Lands must be living in a fool’s paradise in suggesting that aggregation was not going on. Hon D. H. Guthrie: I did not say so. Mr Poole: “Yon were reported to have said so.’’ He assured the Govern- ’ ment that it would get general support in a policy of compulsory purchase of large areas. Mr Witty gave credit to the Minister and his Department for doing good work, though the staff was not large enough. Where a man offered land to soldiers at an exorbitant price he should be. taxed on that valuation. Mr Dickie urged tho Minister to look into aggregation in Ashburton County and to investigate the possibility of cutting up back-country runs. He quite agreed that Land Boards should nave greater power of controlling transfers. AGGREGATION PRECAUTIONS. The Minister, in reply, said that he had a Bill dealing with discharged soldiers’ settlement, and in it a great many of the matters mentioned would be dealt with. . As to aggregation, members knew just what ho knew. On three different occasions drastic proposals had been placed on the Statute Book, but they had not proved, as effective as was desired.

Mr Witty: Put on moro drastic onesMr Guthrie: I think you -will find that the. drastic nature of the proposals now to bo submitted should go far to stop'aggregation. (Hear, hear.) There tvere, however, some absolutely unsurmountablo difficulties in carrying out what were thought to bo proper methods of dealing with aggregating. Speaking about the acquisition of small farms, the Minister said he was quite well aware that the fact of the Government going on to'the market had a tendency to increase prices, but he contended that other factors also wore at work causing higher prices. Ho pointed out also that at the present time they had 589,275 acres of unimproved Crown lands and national endowment lands utilised for soldier settlement, in addition to 288,000 acres of improved and partially improved land, whilst the area purchased in a similar state amounted to acres. Ab to farms purchased, 77 farmß, aggregating 133.859 acres, had been bought, the average price being £ll 18s per acre, the average size of soldiers’ holdings on this area being 163 acres, while on 60 other farms 117 men had been placed on land averaging £42 per acre. In these latter eases the average cost per soldier was just about £3OOO, and the average area of holding 75 acres. Some of these men on tho dearest class of land were really making the best living and proving the most successful among the soldier settlers. In reply to a question by Mr Young, tho Minister declared that ample provision would ho made under tho new Bill for widows of discharged soldiers, and full privileges would be extended under clauses 2 and) 3 to members of the nursing staff. Ho added that lie was going to ask for power to strengthen the Land Purchase Board by appointing local boards in several hind districts. (Hear, hear.) Ho thought, in short, that tho House would bo perfectly satisfied with the provisions, both of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement and Land Act Amendments. Mr Witty: Will you do something to stop land swindles? The Minister answered that ho had always done bis beat to avoid, bind agents wherever bo could. ,