LABOUR AND THE LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19626, 3 May 1927, Page 12

LABOUR AND THE LAND.

SETTLEMENT AND FINANCE. ADDRESS BY MR. HOLLAND. PROPOSALS OF THE PARTY. [i-V TEL EC RAP FT. —OWN CORRESPONDENT."] HAMILTON. Monday. = The Town Hall, Hamilton, was packed this evening, when a political address was given by Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Opposition, on. the subject of the Government's land policy and dairy control. The Mayor, Mr. J. R. Fow, presided. Dealing with tho land problems, Mr. Holland drew attention to the fact that of tho 66,660,000 acres of land in New Zealand, 43,250,000 were rural holdings, which were occupied by 85.734 people. Two-thirds of, the area was held by 8 per cent, of the rural population, while 92 per cent, of the rural population occupied one-third. To meet this problem of land aggregation, the Labour Party proposed to introduce a steeply-graded land tax, which would have the effect of breaking up many of the large areas and bringing them into effective production. The party proposed to resort to a system of acquisition, first by negotiation, and, if that failed, by compulsion. The owner would have the right to appeal against tho ValuerGeneral's valuations. The amount of money lent on mortgages was criticised by Mr. Holland, who quoted figures to show the increases in recent years. Referring to the rural credits systems, Mr. Holland said the commission recommended an agricultural department inside the State Advances Office. Tho Labour Party proposed to establish a State bank with the sole right of note issue, and with tho right to function as a central bank. Advances would be made by the State bank for the purpose of financing primary production and probably secondary production as well. Mr. Holland referred to the tremendous economic waste which occurred in the frequent changes of land an'd in the cost of transfers. He strongly criticised the land agency system which existed in Ne\V Zealand, and expressed the opinion that transfers should be carried out by the Lands Department at cost. Far too much money went to land agents and land speculators, and • every effort should be made to eliminate them from the business of buying and selling of land.. State land should be cleared before it was sold to the farmer, continued Mr: Holland, The present system' of putting men on totally unimproved land was Uneconomic and unsound. Coming to the (Question of dairy control, Mr. Holland said it was impossible to debate the question of price fixing in New Zealand. Tho price fixing which had previously operated in Tooley Street, had worked to the detriment of the producers in New Zealand, and to the consumers in England. The people who did this price fixing were manipulating and gambling with the food supplies of the people, and the question arose whether Tooley Street should do the price fixing of New Zealand butter and cheese, or whether the New Zealand producers should do it through their own board. The crisis, said Mr. Holland, did riot arise out of price fixing, but out of the planless system of non-control which existed prior to the time the board came into operation. This brought about the accumulation of stale butter in cold store and the consequent drop in prices. Mr. Holland outlined the Labour Party's attitude on the question. % Mr. Holland was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.