THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19158, 26 October 1925, Page 11

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN.

[LABOUR'S LAND POLICY.

THE ESTATES OVER £20,000.

FAMOUS 1080 PROPERTIES.

TOTAL INCLUDES CITY LAND

Some new light was thrown on the vexed question of Labour's modified land policy by Sir James Parr, Government candidate for Eden, in the course of an address to a large gathering of electors in the Henderson Valley School on Saturday evening. "I have observed during the. past two weeks," said Sir James Parr, ''that the Labour candidates are avoiding reference to the main clauses in the policy, which provide that the Government valuer shall value all lands in the Dominion, and that no one in the city or the country will bo allowed to sell, except to the Government, and at a price fixed by the Government valuer. These paragraphs still stand in the policy.

"They are ignoring these main clauses and are clinging with both hands to a little addendum at the end of the policy, .which says that when Labour reaches power they will immediately apply the nsehold tenure to rural estates over £20,000 in value," continued the candidate. "Mr. Jordan and the others claim that there are 1080 estates valued at more than £20.000 in New Zealand, all suitable for closer settlement. Of course the intention of our Labour friends is obvious. They are putting forward a cheap and c-asy appeal to city audiences to attack the big farmer, and they advocate 'collaring' his land for subdivision. But here again the Socialist candidates have shown utter ignorance of the real facts."

Sir .Tames Parr said that, firstly, over 80 per cent, of the large estates were quite unsuitable for closer settlement and would never make small farms, pearly all the large ruval estates consisted of sheep runs and precipitous hill country. In the South Island, tens cf thousands of acres of sheep country were above the snow line. "Just imagine for a moment," said Sir James, "any party asking that this sheep country should be subdivided for purposes of dairying or close farming! Yet this is exactly what the Labour candidates are

demanding. "My Socialist friends have fallen into an even more serious blunder," continued the speaker. "Many of the Labour candidates have stated that there yre 10S0 large estates exceeding £20,000 in value, and , that therefore there is sbundant country available. This statement is evidently based on a return furnished in 1923 on the motion of the lion. J. A. Hanan. but here again the Labour people have fallen into another morass of error. I telegraphed to the Lands Department, Wellington, to-day asking whether there were 1080 rural estates of ever £20,000. I have received a reply to the effect that the return of 1080 properties comprises urban and suburban as well as rural properties. As we all know, there are scores of properties in the main .streets of the cities, such as Lambton Quay. Wellington, Princess Street, Jhmedin, and Queen Street and Karaiigahape Road, Auckland, which exceed £20.000 in value, and all these are included in the 1080 so-called large estates ■which this party demands shall be subdivided for closer settlement." The audience accorded the candidate a hearty vote of thanks for the work he had done for the rural district of Eden in particular and confidence in him as a member. A resolution was ,-ilso carried that no confidence was held in the usehold policy advanced by the Labour candidates. .-"AN INNOCENT THING." THE " USEHOLD " TENURE. NO PROVISION FOR QUALITY. Much interest was shown in an explanation of Labour's land policy given by Mr. J. W. Yarnall, Labour candidate for Roskill, in an address at the Maungawhau School, Mount Eden, on Saturday evening. " Labour's land policy is a very innocent thing, and it is not going to do anyone any harm," said Mr. Yarnall. "We will give settlers a new tenure, based on usehold, and they will be required to work their land. They will not be allowed to transfer land to a third party, but must transact all their dealings through the State." However, a farmer would be allowed to leave land to his children. Where was the iniquity of that ? The candidate referred to a statement made by Sir James Parr to the effect that if Labour's land policy were carried into effect it would mean land confiscation. " I am not a simple man," said the candidate. "Do you honestly think, ladies and gentlemen, that I would stand for a policy that embodied land confiscation ? No ! Our land policy will prevent this cursed speculation. It will secure to the man who works his farm the value of all improvements. The present owners of land, provements. Hundreds of farmers are forced to leave the land to-day without a penny. They are not even getting a return for their work, let alone their improvements. The present owners of land, whether it was used as a farm or si workman's cottage, would not he debarred from se!ling_ the land to their own buyers, provided it was sold through the Land Transfer Department. A A r oice: You are shifting your key figairi. 'Do not be sillv," said a Labour supporter in the audience. A Questioner: Does the Labour Party intend to subdivide improved lands? The candidate said there was no provision in the policy concerning the qual51v of the lands to be subdivided. He should say they would be improved lands. A Voice: Improved lands are already earning money for the State. "Will Crown lands be subdivided and fettled V was anothe! question. Mr. Yarnall said they certainly would. A Voice: There are no decent Crown lands in New Zealand. "Do not be silly, you have npt been out of Auckland," a Labour supporter interjected. A Voice: There are thousands of acres of first-class Crown lands and private lands not earning a penny. Mr. Yarnall: That is so. A Questioner: There seems io be an idea that the . Labour Party will grab all our land and houses like a lot of Bolsheviks. That is not so, is it, Mr. Yarnall ? "No. that is quite wrong," replied Mr. Yarnall. "We will not interfere with the householder or the small farmer." At this stage a member of the audience said he had just returned from the North and he described what he termed '' deplorable conditions " existing on some farms.

At the. conclusion of the meeting a vote r>f thanks and confidence in the candidate IKfia Raised without dissent*