North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1907. THE LAND BILL.

North Otago Times, 10 October 1907, Page 2

North Otago Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1907. THE LAND BILL.

The division on the question of whether flic word "no" should be struck out of clause 3 of the Lam) Dili could, not lie • expeoted to reveal (ho state of feeling in'the House 07 the more material clauses'of the Land Bill. The oiTcet of Mr Mills' motion, had 'it been carried, wouW havo been to continue tho system of the lease-in-perpetuity as against the renewable lcaso intended to become law by Mr M'Nab. The lighting wilt not be around this comparatively insignificant section of the Act, but around the question of the conditions on which tho freehold can bo obtained by the settler. It is recognised that if the frcehoW and partial freehold are to be embodied in the law the present law must cease to operate, and with this object a clause is inserted to repeal whatever sections dealing with the question appear in other Land for Settlements Acts. That being so the division on Tuesday gives little or no indication of how the war will wage around the other and moro Important sections that have to be debate;! and decided upon. The Government, however, by proposing to grant the absolute freehold to those who hold lands that have never been alienate;! from tlte down, and only granting the partial ■freehold to settlers on repurchased estates, have in a way divided parties. In the first place nearly all Hie land lur.dcr the lirst-nimeil form' of tenure is in the North Island, and having had tin's concession gnintcl them the next question for the North Island representatives is the basis on which they can acquire the freehold. Mr M'Nab says tlic "present day value, while others hold _ that the original value, with a certain addition, should he made tho basis o* arriving at the value. It is around (his question that the fiercest of the fightm? on tho Land Bill will circle, and although the North Island members have got what they wanted in the option, neither side c,in carry any-Ihfn-T unless they are united. If Mr M'Nab succeeds in carrying his present day value proposal then the North Island settler must surrender his HO!) years lease for <i renewable lease for a period of G(i or 33 years, whichever ihc House decides. But if lie does so he must lie prepared (o conform to the demand -to accept the present day value. It is around this -question, and' that of whether tho absolute freehold should not be granted to the settler on repurchased land that the strength of the free, holder and leaseholder will be put to flic test Some short timo ago the Government had occasion to threaten a dissolution if members of the Government party did hot fall into line ' en the.-tariff, but it is. extremely unlikely that the Government will adopt a similar stand on the Lam! Bill, for after all the question of freehold or leasehold to some people is ono of sentiment, and they sec no further than (he sentimental reason. liivt to others, who view the 'question from (ho standpoint that as tho money to purchase estates lias mostly to come from London, the fact practically plates tho nnncy-lcnder in the p.osi- .- lion of being owner of tho land, and ! the drain of rent'out of the colony can only be stopped by plaoiug the i settler in the position of the absentee ' money-lender, There is no sentiment about this. It is a hard stubborn fact. The drain is not felt to any . great extent in times of prosperity, hut it will be when prices recede, and it is to place ,l!io colony and the settler in a better position tjiat the demand for the freehold is made.