THE LAND QUESTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 13

THE LAND QUESTION.

FREEHOLD v. LEASEHOLD

(Fhom Oub Own ConmspoxDENT.)

WELLINGTON, July 3

The Lands Committee of the House has at last been set up, but not without a good deal of discussion, and diecussion of a kind that gives indication of a big fight on the question of land tenure. The Premier apparently has a hard row to hoe in this matter, for some of his supporters ar« single t^xers and land nationalises, while others are most outspoken in favour of the freehold tenure. Others, like Mr Hogg, are not single taxers or nationalises, but are willing to stake their political existence on the leasehold. The Opposition are mainly in favour of the freehold system, and just at present there is apparently a considerable majority in the House in favour of the freehold tenure. The discussion broke out anew in connection with the setting up of the Lands Committee to-day. Mr Massey, while admitting that the addition of Messrs Graham, Hall, Harding, Jonmngs, Lawry, R. M'Kenzie, Symee, and Vile would make a great improvement in the committee, as compared with that originally proposed," expressed the opinion that members like Messrs Ell and Laurenson should be displaced by men who had more practical experience in farming. Mr Ell maintained that the people in the cities had a rii>ht to be represented on this committee, and he icpudiated the aesertion that he had no experience of farming. He had worked on a farm for years, and he was as capable of milking a cow as any member of that Hoifse. — (Laughter ) He could also teach a good many of them how to work on a sheep station, and in a woolshed also.

Mr Buchanan said the putting of city men on this committee, in conjunction with putting uty met on the laud, would bo a case of the blind leading the blind. It would be much better to ha\e on the committee country mcmbeis who undei stood the question. Mr Fowl'ls made a brief but vehement speech against the advocates of tho freehold, lie said the arrogant assumption of a few farming bodies who had pushed thenway into that House via- most amusing, and the idea that farmers who li\ed in tho country were the only persona who could deal with land questions wa« absurd in the extreme. The House shouM not submit to dictation at the instance of the privileged few who had grabbed the lands of the colony The unused land= of the colony belonged a- much to the people in the towns as to the- people in tho country. They had ■more right, indeed, than those men who had gorged themselves with the lands of the Crown,

Mr Taylor was surprised at the ton« adopted by Mr Massey. For a time he almost imagined it was the Premier speaking, he was so dogmalic. If there was on« class more than another entitled to representation on that committee it was the city dwellers. Those who were now on the land wer§ not contributing their just share of the taxation ; therefore two millions sterling a year was thrown upon the general population, which was altogether out of proportion. — (Mr Seddon : "Hear, hear.")

The Premier said that m the past this committee had been so eoneervative that little progress had been made. The time had arrived when we should advance.

Mr Massey : Yes, we want to advance ; but you are advancing backwards.

The Premier thought that all sections of the community should be represc-nted on this committee. He made it very clear, however, that there would be no alteration in the present land policy of the Government. The present system must bo maintained, in the interests of all classes of the community. In regard to the complaint about the numbers on the committee being limited, he said that tho tuna was not far distant when a conference of both Houses would be sitting together to deal with large questions. It would be a bad day for the colony when they raised the question of town versii-, country. He had always endeavoured to keep that back, as he had tried -to kp-ep back the question of the North Island versus the South Inland. The Govprnment had no intention of doing away with the freehold and of making leasehold the only tenure.

Mr T Mackenzie said that it was only right that they should have city representatives on the committee. He did not, howpver. aprop with the strong language u«ed by Mr Fowkls, and he maintained that the country pronle werp bearmsr their full share of the taxation. He chaffed the Premier about his endeavouring to ennture some members who had not vet "settled down" by putting thorn on this committee. After some further discussion the committee was set up as propo=pd. and it will consist of Messrs Bennp-t, Buchanan. Ell, F^tman. Hoee, Lang. Lauren=on. M'Lachlan. J. W. Thomson. Witty. Wood. Hall, Grnham. Hauling, Jpnnine«. Lawry. Symes, M'Kenzie, Vile, and the Hon. Mr Duncan.