THE LAND BILL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13859, 23 March 1907, Page 10

THE LAND BILL

ACTING PRIME MINISTER'S SPEECH AT CHEVIOT. TfiOX OvE Oww COEaEfIPONDiHT.) CIIRISTCHURCJJ, March 22. Speaking at. Cheviot last night Mr W. Hall-Jones said there had been too much fuss made about the Land Bill. The whole tiling was really us plnin_as a pikestaff. Tho bill consisted of three principal portions—namely, the endowment clauses, tho renewable lease clauses, and, with the concessions in regard to the leasing o! land, the proposals for limitation of holdings. Willi regard to tho first of theec, it was in principle the 6amc as what the early settlers had done for Canterbury.—(A Voice: "Freeholders!") No, they must not run away with the idea that thoec valuablo Canterbury endowments were freehold land.

At I his point Ihe Minister was interrupted by several remarks, such as "Give us the optional tenure" and "Don't take away the ioaso-in-perpetuity"; but when lie declared, "I'm going io those endowment," there was an outburst of applause. The Minister, continuing, referred again Io the leasehold lands set apart in Canterbury as endowments by the pioneer cottiers, and said it would have been a good thing for tho colony if statesmen many years ago had provided in Ihe same way for its future needs in regard to education, oldage .pensions, and charitable aid. Mr Rutherford had spoken of tho income Io be derived from Ihe proposed endowments for theso purposes under tho provisions of Ihe Land Bill, as £100,000 a year. Well, he (tho Minister) would be very glad to have that- £100,000 a year for railway construction'. There was land leased for terms ot 14- years, and good farmers were making money on it. In Canterbury the man whoso memory was most honoured in connection with land matters was the late Hon. Win, llollcston. No man was more strongly in favour of endowments-than Mr Rolleston. When that statesman was in charge of a laud hill some years ago, lie strongly advocated leasing only, without tho power of sale of the lantls of the Crown. He could give the names of members of the Opposition of the present day who agreed with Mr R-olleslon on that point, but who now objected to theso proposed endowments. It was the duty of people Io make provision for the educational and other needs of their children and descendants, and if the present Government- would not do it, they had better put in another Government that, would. Reverting to the Land Bill, the Minister defended tho clause designed to relax the residence condition's. Ho said it was intended to enable men of small incomes to take up land on which they could work as they had opportunity, and on which their families could work, and then later on these men could retire from their other occupations ajid live on the, land. Some thought that- clause was nioant for wealthy people, but it was for the poor man. If they found lire Government- trying to give spccial facilities for the rich they -would have a good right to go for (hem.