THE LANDS QUESTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5678, 28 August 1905, Page 3

THE LANDS QUESTION.

(To the Editor “N.Z. Times.’’) Sir.—l notice in your is-uo of this morning that it k: proposed by tlic Government to repeal tho ioaso-m-perpo-tuity. Now, if t,hn> proposal ■> the result* of the report oi the Laud-: Commission, I am going to bo bold enough to assort that it is not the opinion kola by the majority of the bona-fide worker--of this colony. Take, for instance, the resolution carried at a recent meeting of the Workers’ Political Committee, which reads as follows;—“That, while approving of the provisions of the Workers’ Dwellings Bill, introduced by the Govern moat, this committee protests against the provision in it, granting the freehold of the land to any tenant.”

In reference to tho findings of the Land Commission, I beg to reply that the evidence taken was not the voice of the masses, but simply of those who, holding freeholds, desired to strengthen their position. In some piaces tho Commissioners had only two or three witnesses before them, and the majority of thoso represented the landed geatiy. I am convinced that if a ballot was taken to-morrow, tho lease-in-perpetuity would be retained upon our statute book.

The Government pi need upon tho land men who had no more chance of getting there than I have of flying, and now, forsooth, wo are told, not by tho people, mind you, but by the lauded gentry, that those Crown tenants demand ■ the freehold. Surely, the great curse, or the chief one, that has afflicted tho United Kingdom, and especially Ireland, should bo an objectlesson to thoso of our legislators who moan well to tho workers of this colony. ’ As it is, the right of possessing tho freehold will simply give to thoso men who are already fat at the expense of tho Maori, and tho poor pakeha, the remaining kinds fit for anything. In conclusion, I hope that the House will reject a-nvthing having for its object tho defeat of thoso land laws, that were made for the benefit, net or the few, hut the masses of the peon'o of this colony. Unfortunately, tho near approach of tho general election makes some of our members promise anything or everything.—l am, etc., J.R.I. August 24th.