FREEDOM AND FREEHOLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25302, 12 August 1943, Page 7

FREEDOM AND FREEHOLD

Sir, —Apart from religious beliefs, the last rights of New Zealanders are to be torn away from them by the Land Sales Bill now before Parliament. Whether the freeholder has 5 or 8 or 80 acres, the disposal of his land is to be determined by a body of men who cannot assess its history and development in relation to his life. If freeholders had been leaseholders with experience of the way in which their lifetime efforts are swept away by the department governing transfers great and small, they would rise in a body against such legislation. It is designed literally and figuratively to cut the ground from under their feet. I am in a small way, but four generations of my family (and my wife's) have been brought up in this country. We have worked for it and fought for it on a motto of give, not take. I say definitely that legislation like this on the Statute Book will put finish to that. A widow, or a sick man, or one at his active journey’s end who must realise his holding, has no chance of sustaining his rights against a board in office on such a mission.

Members of land boards over years have freely admitted that they are the mouthpieces of the department, which is ruled by the regulations (holy word) and the Minister in power The same will obtain with a valuation board. I am all for making suitable land and houses available for soldiers. However, a land title of which they could be proud

must not be submitted to such pinpricking control. Soldiers from the last war receive no consideration from the Government departments controlling their holdings, ana once this war is over the same will apply. This is the danger signal, and the limit has been reached. Can freeholders unite and say: “No further .?—I am, etc., Free As Yet*