MORE LAND WANTED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7870, 4 August 1911, Page 6

MORE LAND WANTED

WHAT BARS THE WAY? PAULIAAIENT DEBATES THE QUESTION. MR MASSEY'S LEASEHOLD CATECHISM. Tho presentation of tho Lor. A for Settlements report to Parliament yesterday afternoon raised an important debate on the urgency of close settlement, and the causes which keep hack the operation, of tlu: Land for Settlements Act.

Air G. IV. Russell (Avon), when the Land for Settlements report was presented, called the attention of tho House to the rapid diminution of tho expenditure on the purchase of estates. If the Government allowed this question to stand aside, they would give the leader of the Opposition an opportunity to which he was not entitled, because it was the Liberal side which placed on the statute book the laws for settling the lands, and it was that side which should have the credit for administering them. Air G. AV. Forbes (Wminni) said that most Departments of State were prosperous, but iu the Lands Department there was a dangerous lack of activity. The high cost of land iu Canterbury and Otago was a difficulty that would have to bo got over. A mistake had been mado when tho compulsory clauses of taking land were dropped. Tho most reasonable way to find the price of land was by arbitration. A largo factor in tho. success of tho Liberal party had been its land legislation, and the settlement of tho people, but tho enthusiasm of tho people could bo sustained on the very meagre results coming from tho department. Air A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) supported tho previous speakers, and quoted instances in his own district where ho said tho , Government had failed in its duty to promote closer settlement. BIG ESTATES. Mr G. Laurensou (Lyttelton) said that in Banks .Peninsula two estates inonopolished half the road board distinct, and carried only sixteen persons, and ho had a petition asking that the compulsory clauses of tho Act should bo put into operation. It was not alone tho town population that clamoured for land, it was tho country population also. (Hear, hear.) Tho largo estates were in some cases technically cut up among families, but such bulking of tho spirit of tho Act should be overcome. In the country districts of Canterbury the attendance at the schools was steadily decreasing, which meant that either tho people were practising tho most abominable immorality or land was being aggregated. Ho inclined to tho latter belief, and it would eventually' depopulate not only Canterbury but the whole ot Now Zealand. "PARTY STRIPE.” Mr T. M. Wilford (Hntt) attributed the delay in land settlement entirely to party squabbles. Months and years were spent in discussing tenure, but if freeholder and leaseholder combined toreach tho goal of settlement, it would bo better. Ho knew that the lands were not being properly settled, but this was a complaint the world over. The solution of practically all the industrial and economic troubles could be found in land settlement. It was a pity that there was not a definite land policy by which members could stand or fall. He believed in restricted areas, and tho leasehold as a stopping stone to tho freehold. Air AV. T. Jennings (Taumanmni) said that the land question was the one question demanding attention. Tho evil effect of large holdings had been evident from the earliest days, and it was not long ago that tho Otago Education Board had had a special report on the alarming decrease of school attendance. The possibilities of intense culture wore unlimited, and he would support tho Canterbury members in any movement for closer settlementTHE NORTHERN MOVEMENT.

Mr H. G. EU (Christchurch South) said it was a matter for regret that so many Canterbury fanners were being driven northvards, and it was not because of tenure but because of lack of land. If the Government was going to pursue an active policy of purchasing large estates more borrowing would be necessitated. Air AV. Fraser: No, no.

Air Ell: Well, there is another method, namclv, to increase the graduated land tax. iho enormous number of applicants for" acquired estates proved that the tenure was satisfactory. It was useless decrying the increase of the public debt if they desired land settlement to proceed. ALr Massey’s fallacious policy of selling leasehold lands to repurchase more lands would not provide a tenth of the money necessary to promote settlement. The greatest and most barefaced bribe ever offered in the country was when Mr Massey had gone to Cheviot and offered the people the free-, hold at the original value it they would give him their votes.

"BORROWING NOT NECESSARY." Mr TV. F. Massey, leader of tho Opposition, said that all the speakers had repeated what ho had been saying for years —that there was a lack of activity in the settlement of land. But it was not .necessary to borrow. Tho proper way was to give the Government the sack. The only method of providing land for settlement was to give tho option of the freehold to every man pn the land, because the present system merely gave the ownership to those outside tho country. The Cheviot settlers had agreed with his policy. The Hon. R. McKenzie : And they sent a leaseholder to Parliament.

Mr Massey: The State could have no interest in a perpetual lease. The improvements and tho goodwill were tho settlors’, and no Parliament was going to interfere with the tenure. Tho original value was simply a mortgage on which the settlor paid a low rato of interest, and all tho time tho Dominion was going outside for money at higher rates.

The Hon. T. V. Duncan: The settlers would not purchase. Mr Massey: X believe some would for sentimental reasons, although I do not think we could offer them any inducement to do so from a business point of view. SAT.E OF ENDOWMENTS. The statement that he was prepared to sell the national endowments was absolutely and utterly incorrect. Nobody could point to any suggestion by an Opposition member that any endowment prior to 1007 should he sold. Members : " Ah and laughter. Mr Massey said that the proposal to part with endowments set aside up to '1907, and to invest the money in other lands which would then become endowments, had been made by Mr Wilford, and ho had supported it. He believed it would bo necessary to do something ot the sort, as in many places unoccupied lands were becoming useless by the spread of blackberries. WHEN TO STOP SEEDING. Mr Bussell; Would the people who took up the second lot have the right to the freehold? Mr Massey: Certainly not. It would ho endowment. Many people were under the impression that the Opposition was utterly * opposed to the leasehold, but there was nobody on his side opposed to it. What they did say was that when a man took up a piece of land on lease, the State should allow him to pay off the canital value and become the owner of his own home. That principle sho.uld

bo applied to the city lands just as much as those in the country. Air Davey: Why not sell tho second lot if you sell tho first? Air Afasscy : Because, m all probability the land to bo purchased on the second occasion would be lauds in the towns. He wished to sell tho present endowments because it was found impossible, in many cases, to settle them under present conditions. There were OOO.COO acres of endowment land in North Auckland, and when lie suggested to various settlers that they should take it up, they declined as soon as they found that it was endowment land. Mr Hogan: You would also sell land that is settled? Air Alassey : You are speaking of the lease-in-perpetuity. 1 think they should all bo iu the same position. Tile lion. D. Buddo: Would you keep on giving the freehold of successive endowment lands? Air Massey: I have tried to explain, and it is not necessary to repeat. He suggested that there was far too large a proportion of tho population in the towns, and concluded by declaring that the Agricultural Department was never going to give value for the money until it educated farmers who could bo centres of instruction to their neighbours' whorocver they settled. NEAV ALLANS REQUIRED.

Atr G. Witty (Riccartou) said that tho Government should carry out its land policy; but some new means were required, because greedy owners were demanding double the value, and tho compulsory clauses should bo reinstated. Air W. H. Field (Otaki) said that a good deal was being done to educate young Now Zealanders on tho experiment farms. If the Government was looking for tho site of an agricultural college, no better place could be found than tho present experimental farm at Levin. AN AMENDMENT. “r Fisher (Wellington Central) stated that if tho Crown land was sold at the z-ate of the last few years, there would bo none left in a year or two. Air Laurenson: That’s what your party wants. Air Fisher said that ho proposed to give members who had condemned the inactivity of the Government’s laud settlement policy a chance of voting on a definite motion on the subject- He moved: That this House is of opinion that ‘ no legislation affecting the lands of tho colony will be satisfactory that does not provide for the cessation of tho sale of Crown lands. Tho Hon. J. A, Alillar raised a point of order that tho amendment was not relevant to the motion, and Air Speaker upheld the point, stating that the motion was merely to print a report on land acquired from private individuals. Tho amendment was foreign to the question. ACTING-AnNISTEE OF LANDS. Tho acting-Alinistor of Lands (Hon. D. Buddo) said that tho inconsistency of the members of the Opposition was amusing. Ho agreed that the Canterbury members had a just cause of_ complaint because in their province not an acre of-Crown land was available, and there was comparatively little in Otago and Southland. In tho last three years, however, land settlement had been carried on actively. In 1909 2603 settlers had been put on Crown lauds; in 1910 2583 settlers, and in eleven months of 1911, 1760 settlers, and altogether an area of over two million acres had been settled in tho last financial year, if grazing lands wore included. (Hear, hear.) During tho first four months of this year tho Government had purchased estates to the full value of tho money available, and no exception could bo taken to that policy. Tho necessity for small settlement was fully realised. Tho Government was concerned for the man with no land, and tenure was not so great a factor as tho purchase of suitable estates. (Hear, hear.) ' The debate closed with tho dinner adjournment.