CROWN TENANTS

Northern Advocate, 7 November 1931, Page 6

CROWN TENANTS

EASING OF CONDITIONS. PROPOSALS ADOPTED. (Per Press Association.—Copyright.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Moving the second reading of the Land Laws Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands, said it was designed to render a greater measure of assistance to Grown tenants who, under the existing circumstances and economic difficulties, found themselves in need of such help. . The bill not only made provision for postponement and remissions of rent and interest, but also enabled tenures which had been entered into diiring the last few years to be reconsidered. It proposed to set up a special committee to act in conjunction with land boards and inquire into the tenures of Crown holdings and the condition of the holders. He considered the most useful men to serve on the proposed committees would be practical farmers, with a knowledge of the district in which they would serve. Mr M. J. Savage (Labour-Auckland W.) said the House was always making new laws, but he questioned if they were adequately administered. The bill would set up committees to investigate farmers’ difficulties, but could the Government do anything for the farmer after investigating his affairs? The country wanted the Government to put thousands of men on the land, and until that came about it would not get [

very far. Mr. W. .1, Poison (Stratford) said he welcomed the bill as an instalment of what was necesary for the development of the country. Its most important feature was the fact that it would help to keep men who were already on the land in their homes, instead of allowing them to be driven off by the depression.

Several other members complimented the Minister on having brought down the measure, which, they said, would be of great assistance to many farmers. Mr. S. •G. Smith (New Plymouth) urged the Minister to endeavour to extend the provisions of the Land Laws Amendment Act 1929, so that assistance could be given to bring privatelyowned land into a more productive state. He believed if a fund of £IOO,OOO to £200,000 was set apart for this purpose it would be possible to transfer 5000 to 10,000 unemployed men from the cities to useful work in the country. The bill was read a second time. Moving the second reading of the Education Reserves Amendment Bill, Mr. Ransom said the measure granted the same facilities to tenants as were afforded under the Land Laws Amendment Bill.. The bill was read a second time. Both measures were then put through the remaining stages and passed.