LAND TRANSACTIONS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17097, 31 August 1917, Page 8

LAND TRANSACTIONS

PURCHASES BY ALIENS. COMPLAINT IN PARLIAMENT. (From Our Own Correspondent ; WELLINGTON, August 30. ■ _ Complaint has been made on several occasions in the House that alien enemies are being allowed to purchase the lands of Europeans, especially the lands of soldiers going on active service. In replying to a question by Dr Thaeker to-day,_ the Prime Minister said it was quite impossiblo to transfer lands to onemy subjects, because this would bo trading with the enemy. In the case of Crown lands the Minister and the Lands Department had on all occasions refused to allow transfers of land to aliens. Mr Witty: These aro naturalised aliens. Mr Massey said there was a difficulty about preventing sales of land to naturalised aliens, becauso they were exactly in the same position as British subjects. Mr Witty: If a man is not fit to send away it is not right that ho should be able to buy another man's land.

Mr Massey said that under international law the Government could not restrict the rights of naturalised subjects in regard to the purohaso of private land. 'The Government could do it with regard to its own lands. He had refused to sanction a transfer that mo'rring to a man with a German name, although he knew little more about the man than his name, j Dr Thaeker : # What about preventing the sale of lands o'f soldiers to anybody? Mr Massey said theso lands should not be sold, and he was endeavouring to make arrangements to prevent it.' There would he legislation before the House this session to ,deal with tho point raised by the hon. member.

Mr"-Poland asked what steps, if any, the Government was taking to deal with the question of the purchase of tho land of Europeans all over the country by naturalised Germans and Austrians. Syndicates of A-ustrians were being formed to purchase dairy lands all over the country. Was nothing being done to stop this? Mr Massey said tho point waa a very difficulty one. It was under consideration s>y Cabinet, and he had had an inteview with tho head of tho Lands Department with regard to it.