NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14222, 19 November 1909, Page 6

NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

A " BLOCK TO SETTLEMENT."

THE RENEWABLE LEASE SYSTEM. [BY TELEGRAPH.— COBBESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. Reference was made this afternoon by Mr. Massey to an unfavourable reply given on Wednesday to a question that he put to the Minister for Lands, regarding a block of Crown land lying between the districts of Maramarua and Waerenga. He had asked whether the Government would make this land available for selection under the optional system. The reply was that as the land is a portion of the national endowments, the law did not permit of it being disposed of, except under the renewable lease. Mr. Massey stated to-day that a number of settlers were anxious to take up the land under the O.R.P. system. The national endowments, he said, are positively a block to settlement. Here were good, industrious settlers anxious to take up the land under the popular system, but they were debarred from getting the land. He hoped that when the Land Bill came baforo the House the present drawback would be removed.

Mr. Poole said that he regretted that Mr. Massey in his enthusiasm in regard to settlement was desirous of breaking into the national endowments. If he succeeded in his effort it would level a great blow at the educational institutions of the. country.

Mr. Massey : Nothing of the sort. Mr. Poole referred to the fact that it was proposed by the Government to set apart one-fifth of the revenue from the national endowments as a subsidy to educational purposes in the four large centres. In Auckland the Government House site was being set apart for tho purposes of the proposed new University College. . The erection of the now building would involve a large expenditure, and yet. the Leader of the Opposition was in favour of taking from the University a portion of the money which it was intended to apply towards defraying the expenditure. What he proposed would be disastrous to the country, and the suggestion was outrageous. Mr. Massey denied that he had any desire to do an injury to education, particularly to university education. No one who understood the position would say anything of the sort. What he proposed would benefit education as well as settlement. Hon. R. McKenzie : It would not benefit the Auckland University College. Mr. Rhodes said that Mr. Massey's proposal did not involve any attack whatever on the education system. Town or suburban lands could be set apart as endowments, and such lands would be of far more value to the University in years to come than the country lands could ever be. Mr. Phillipps said that Mr. Massey had the best interests of education as well as of settlement at heart. The national endowments lands referred to by Mr. Massey were of such poor quality that they would never be settled under the renewable lease. There were some of these lands in his own district, and he was aware that there was a disinclination to take them up under the renewable lease. It would be far better to dispose of this land under a system that would attract settlement, and. to apply the proceeds to the assistance of education.