CONTENTIOUS CLAUSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25302, 12 August 1943, Page 4

CONTENTIOUS CLAUSES

ALTERNATIVES SUGGESTED (P.A.) INVERCARGILL. Aug. 11. General approval of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Bill with reservations was expressed at a special meeting of the Southland executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day. The meeting agreed that legislation to curb the inflation of land values was necessary in the interests of returned servicemen, but disapproved of certain arbitrary features of the Bill and suggested alternatives. The meeting carried the following resolution: “ That this executive approves the objects of the Bill as outlined in parts I and II with certain alternatives, but disapproves of parts 111 and IV for the control of land and valuation, and is of the opinion that such contentious legislation should be withheld in the meantime; that as alternatives to the v contentious proposals we suggest—(l) that land including areas suitable for subdivision, areas not economically farmed, areas not farmed to full capacity, and areas unduly aggregated, be acquired volyntarily and, if necessary, by compulsion for servicemen’s settlement, and (2) that the Government have the first refusal of all farm land coming on the market.” In a statement issued to-day the Southland branch of the Real Estate Institute says that part 111 of the land Bill will have far-reaching effects on property owners and will cause grave concern to building societies, mortgagees, trustee companies, and other institutions.