FARMERS' UNION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13486, 13 May 1907, Page 6

FARMERS' UNION CAMPAIGN.

MEETINGS IN THE WAIKATO. [FROM our OWN* correspondent.]

• Huntly, - Saturday. Under the auspices of the Farmers' Union Mr. Allan Bell delivered an address on the Land Bill in the Volunteer Hall last night. The rain interfered somewhat with the attendance. Mr. J. P. Bailey presided. A vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer, and a motion condemnatory of the proposals of the Government was carried, on the motion of Mr. Donald McKinnon, seconded by Mr. J. Parkes, only three dissenting.

On Thursday evening Mr. Bell delivered an address in the Taupiri Hall on the Land Bill. Mr. A. H. Waring presided. Mr. Bell showed how disastrous would be the introduction of such a measure as the Land Bill. Speaking of the valuation of improvements, the speaker dwelt on the fact that in the majority of cases it would be utterly impossible for any valuer who had not watched the progress of the district to estimate the improvements of 66 years. Bush land required felling, stumping, grassing, etc., and the amount of work done and the energy expended was enormous. Mr. Bell stated that in England, where land was acknowledged to be difficult to acquire, the tendency : was to encourage the small freehold, whereas in New Zealand, where no such difficulty was experienced, the Government were seeking to raise up a nation of

leaseholders. Mr. Bell further contended that nothing fostered so strongly a feeling of patriotism as the" freehold, and went on to warn the audience not to be deceived by. rumours that the Government intended to "drop" the Bill. They must be on the alert, and the fact that such a socialistic measure had even been proposed should be sufficient proof that great watchfulness was necessary. In conclusion, Mr. Bell said lie wished to contradict a current rumour that he and the other farmer lecturers were paid to explain the views of the Farmers' Union. At the 5 conclusion of the lecture' Mr. Gilbertson moved, "That this meeting of the settlers of Taupiri strongly objects to the Government land policy, which they consider is absolutely opposed to the interests of the farming community and the colony as a whole; and, further, expresses the opinion that the optional tenure is the only one that will be accepted by the majority of the people of New Zealand." The resolution was carried unanimously. Before the meeting broke up Mr. Waring said he thought that settlers should endeavour to defray the expenses of those engaged in '.he crusade against the leasehold tenure.

WHERE UNFAIRNESS COMES IN.

[by telegraph.— correspondent.]

Christciiurch, Saturday. The Farmers' Union campaign against the Land Bill has been opened in Canterbury by Mr. James Burgess, a leading member of the union in Taranaki. ~ Speaking to a Press reporter, Mr. Burgess said that the . conditions of farming in ' the North Island gave the people ample cause to stand together in defence of the freehold tenure. "At the expiry of the proposed 66 years' leases," said Mr. . Burgess, " the improvements are to be paid for. They are to be valued by a man employed by the landlord that is by the Government. I will give you an example of how these- valuers do their work. I dug a drain 6ft deep through a swamp. As it did its work the swamp gradually saak, and I had to make my drain deeper. I dug it. fully 10ft down, but when the valuer came it was but 3ft deep owing to the further sinking of the swamp.': He simply calculated on what he saw, and allowed 8s per chain for work that had cost me £2 10s per chain. The difference went to swell the so-called unimproved value. I could give you many similar cases. I have grubbed some heavy gorse at a cost of £5 an acre. As there is no ' visible improvement' I shall not be allowed anything for that work. It is the same with felling bush. As long as the stumps are visible an allowance is made, but not afterwards. The same trouble arises in connection with the native lands leased by Europeans. Under the West Coast Reserves Act the leases are for a term of 21 years, and improvements are to be allowed for up to £5 an acre, but by the time the leases expire the imprrmfments are for the most part out of sight. As for these 66 years' leases, nobody will be able to say when the time is up what was the state of the land at the beginning. It has been suggested that the valuer who inspected them should be placed in some freezing works and preserved for 66 years, so that the leaseholders might have a chance of fair treatment." _ / Mr. Burgess said that the Land Bill campaign of the Farmers' Union had so far been very successful. He believed that hardly a hostile resolution had been carried.