LAND POLICY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 77, 28 February 1929, Page 6

LAND POLICY

PRIME MINISTER’S CORRECTION

COLLEAGUE’S PRIVATE OPINION

(By Telegraph—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 27. The Prime Minister bad occasion when speaking at the manufacturers dinner here to-day to gently take to task a colleague, Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, for discussing the land settlement policy and taxation in advance of the Government’s decisions on these important questions. Sir Joseph Ward took a genial tone, possibly because he reflect ed that it is better to have Ministers with ideas, even if they are occasionally indiscreet enough to anticipate the policy decisions of their colleagues as a Tne Prime Minister told Ins audience that the remarks of the Minister of Public Works, regarding land settlement and taxation, as reported in the press from Rotorua, were made by the Minister privately as his own personal opinion. *‘lhe Minister or J-junus, continued Sir Joseph, “lias been engaged in going round New Zealand with the view to getting information in regard to lands, .and when he B in a position to do so he will report fully to Cabinet. Nothing whatever regarding land settlement, except the purchase of estates, can be undertaken until Mr Eorbes has, fully completed his investigations. Neither is it contemplated to put the unemployed on scrub cutting, which is a class ol work not suitable for most of those out ol employment.” . The Prime Minister also reassured his business audience regarding his colleague’s remarks on taxation, declaring that nothing in regard to possible changes ill taxation had been considered and would not be just at present. He did not wish to create any element of uncertainty in their minds as they would nacurally be concerned as to what might be done in the future. “When the time arrives for consideration on this important and difficult matter,” concluded Sir Joseph Ward, “the Minister of Finance must necessarily go into the question of taxation and the results of his investigations and proposals for taxation will appear in the usual place—the Budget lor presentation to members of Parliament who are entitled to know them first. I make these remarks not with any personal feeling, but because one finds it at times necessary to do so.”