THE LAND BILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13855, 19 March 1907, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

SPEECH BY MR RUTHERFORD, M.H.R.

(Pie United Press Association,) OHRISTCHUIiCH, March 18. Mr A. W. Rutherford, M.H.R., speaking at M'Kenzie, Cheviot, on Saturday, eaid that the endowment clause in tho Land Bill was intended to put the remaining Crown lauds beyond Iho reach of the freeholder altogether. The renewable lease wiw the nest feature of tho bill. The modification of ihe rosidonco conditions practically enabled tho rich city dweller lo have a country residence, and was a rotten clause, 1110 only clause doing anything to directly put tho people on tho land was that imposing the £50,000 limit, and the only chance Jt gave to tho land-hungry was tho opportunity l-o bid at public auction, after waiting 10 yeara for Ihe previous owner to reduce his holding. Mr Rutherford suggested doubling the graduated land tax on any excess over £50,000. and giving only thrco years for the reduction. Such taxation was'praclica|lv penal, and would he effective. The £15,000 limit should be. increased to £20,000, and tho limitation clause should bo mado to apply to city as well as to country property. Mr M'Nab was tho author of a crude and immature, bill, which would not bo, the same when it came before tho House again. Tho meeting passed a resolution in accord with Mr Rutherford's views on the Land Bill against an amendment supporting the bill and tho Government.

tFsow Oins Own CoßniiaroHDENT.) OHRISTCHURCH. March 18. Mr A. W. Rutherford, M.H.K.. has invariably boon distinguished for the frank outspokenness of bis criticisms upon the methods of i.ho Government, with whoso political fortunes he has identified himself, but on Saturday night, at Cheviot, ho quite excelled any previous efforts in tins direction by the caustic vigour of his onslaught, as the- following' excerpts from his address will show;—l will prove to my hearers whose reasoning powers aro unimpaired that tins much-boasted Land Bill is a pretentious fraud so far as putting people mi Ihe land is concerned. The Minister of Lands stated in the House that the department is at its wits' end to know how to provide land for the laml-hungry, and yet he contemplates providing a, number of wealthy shopkeepers and people of that sort lyitli farms to amuse themselves, and to supply themselves with fresh c,?gs, spring chickens, butter, and early lamb to be eaten in their palatial houses. The poor man is to ho kept off tho land, so as to jtivo the wealthy man a country house, ■this is a rotten clause, and ought to be struck out of the bill. After waiting 10 weary years for the excess of any holding over £50,000 in value to ho sold, you get a. ehancp to bid at public auction, a,nd this is the procious bill that is to endear Mr M Nab to tho hearts of the landless. The author of this crude and immature Land Bill is not a farmer although a landowner. He is a student who had a brilliant university career, and who lias spent the latter years of his lifo hunting up records of the old whalers who visited tho coasts of New Zealand a century ago. on which ho writes very interestingly. What tho old whalers knew concerning the land question further than occasionally purchasing a million or acres for a blanket or a tomahawk I don't know. Anyway, their knowledge is not applicable to the present circumstances of the case. There is an amount of boyish verdancy about Mr M'Nab's bills. that is quite refreshing in this businesslike age. Ho is, however, a likeable man. and has not, an enemy in the House. Sir Joseph Ward professes to favour tho optional tenure, but. as ho selected a leasehold Ministry his freehold professions do not amount to much fov practical purposes. Mr Fowlds is a fanatic on singlo tax, anil is_ proud of it. A large section of tho Liberal party look, upon his inclusion in the Cabinet as a menace to the landowners of the colony. From tho 50,000-acro man down to tho humble holder of a quarteracre section in tho hack-blocks township the burden of bis song is "tax the. land!" But never a word about taxing the drapers' shops. The profit from these are enormous —in many instances 100 per cent. In the suburbs of our chief towns the finest houses and grounds are owned by these rag merchants. Under Mr Scddon's regime wo had one dog wagging seven tails, but now wo have seven wagging one. dog. The time has arrived, and more than arrived, when tho criminal ineptitude of tho Government with regard to its Native land policy must end. Tho Land Bill puts no one on tho land under 10 years, and if, as Mr M'Nab says', it will obviate the necessity of the Government, making as much use of tho compulsory clauses of the Land for Settlements Act as in the past, then the Lord help land settlement. If there is one tiling the Government should do it is to establish State drapery shops, but you won't find Mr Fowlds supporting that idea.