THE LAND' COMMISSION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13250, 5 April 1905, Page 2

THE LAND' COMMISSION.

THE WAIKAKAIII SETTLEMENT.

(Br Our Special Retorter.) . t TIMARU, April 4, Tho Land Commission drove from Wnimate, through portion of Waikakahi Settlement, to Morven this morning. Tho rotito was through excellent agricultural country, from much of which heavy crops of whc.it had'been'harvested.- Altogether tho settlement wore a prosperous, look. William B'jere. ono -of tho 'settlors, gavo evidence to tho effect 'that tho cropping regulations wore vexatious and ontirely unworkable.— (Applause from about 30 settlers who wore present.) Witness's evidenco on this subject was very much on the lines and the opinions expressed in my telegram from Waimate last night; He said the-Land Board had to deal with too largo an area— an area extending from Cheviot to Waikakahi. Crown tenants should have ono representative on'each board. Unless 'tho cropping regulations were altered to suit liis requirements, he would have to ask for tho freehold, otherwise ho was quite satisfied with Hie leasehold tenure. Thero was no unearned increment in connection with the settlement. Tho unearned increment existed only in regard to city and suburban lands. He thought transfers should be as freely granted as in the case of a freehold. Tho Chairman said there should he some control, otherwise tho Crown might get men of straw as tenants.

When a man got his improvements on the land witness would glvo him a free hand in regard to cropping. Sonic of the land would stand, six crops, The first, crops went largely to straw, and ,tho third and fourth crops yielded moro than tho first and second. The valuation for local .rating on the Waikakahi Settlement remained the .same as it was wlion tho land was taken up. There had been no increase at. the last, valuation. Some of the settlers felt a,little insecure in regard lo their tenures, but lie did not think the Government woidd break its contract. It. would mean its death if itdid. Ho had not heard any demand for retrospective revaluation, but if revaluation was decided upon in respect to future leads' thorn was no saying when there would be a demand to make it retrospective. Witness would favour ft man's being allowed to pay off portion of the capital value, so that his rent would be reduced. Thero was no danger of tho aggregation of large estates in a settlement, like Waikakahi, because of the buildings and improvements effected on tho numerous small holding's. No man could afford to buy Waikakahi now and use it as a sheep run. The Farmers' Union in tlmt district was dead now. It had lied nothing to do with the agitation for the freehold.

Arthur "William Barnett.. another Waikakahi settler, also said the conditions of lea.so were unsuitable in respect to cropping. He could not work his land in accordance with the conditions of his lease. He thought Iho freehold would be a heller tenure. lie would put move improvement* 011 his farm if he had the freehold. He did' not. think there was a.uy unearned increment. The looses over a series of years would balance tho profit.?. John Taylor liny said lie felt insecure under the present Icase-in-pcrnctnitv tenure. Thoro was always n danger of the forfeiture of one's section if Iho regulations were not complied with. The section he farmed had hen drawn hy his wife She had hi>en threatened with forfeiture as Ihe result, of a breach of the cropping regulations. Witness advocntod the establishment of a South Canterbury Land Hoard.

•Tohn Bruoc* advocated the entire abandonment of the cropping regulations, and said lie was satisfied with his tenure. Alexander Forsyth said ditto to the other witnesses.

Michael Henstridge gavo similar evidence, lie said his land was very poor and slony, vet lie, wanted to do more cropping than the regulations permitted. Alexander CWnran thought fho Crown tenants should be allowed to pay "(f Ihe mentor part of the capital value of their ho'dimrs. The lease in perpetuity was very valuable, but the bwee should have the right to pay off till his rent was reduced to a minimum. He was n believer in ihe. freehold/ He would giv it to lea.ce-in-j)er-petuily holders utfler they lind carried ont the conditions—say, in six years. Th« commission arrived' nt Timaru tonight, fakes evideneo lmro to-morrow, and leaves for Fairlie in the afternoon.