LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 68

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

MR MASSEY’S CRITICISM. Inquiries made by a representative of the “New Zealand Mail” into the question of how the money is obtained for the purchase of estates for settlement purposes go to show that Mr Massey has totally misapprehended the true position of affairs. In the course of his recent address a.t Lawrence, the leader of tho Opposition qustioned tho •wisdom of borrowing money in England, and exhausting our of edit. We had, he said. “ to go to England) for most of the money for the purchase of land for settlement, and thus the ownership of our lands was slowly -but gradually passing to people outside the colony.” As a matter of fact, outside of moneys relent that have come in for paying off mortgages, for the last two years (1902-1964) the amount supplied to the Laud Purchase Department was under £900,000, and) the Whole of this money was raised in the colony. Mr Massey is entirely wrong in his statement that we are borrowing money in England, thus exhausting our credit, that most of the money was obtained in England, and

that the ownership of our lands was slowly passing to people outside the colony. It will relieve any anxiety that may have been created by Mr Massey’s erroneous statement to have the authoritative assurance “ that for the purpose of purchasing land under the Land for Settlements Act, no money during the last two years has been raised outside the colony.”