EVIDENCE AT PALMERSTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 15

EVIDENCE AT PALMERSTON.

(By Our Speciai, Repoetee.)

The Land Commission sat at Palmerston to-day, when a number of settlers attended from the surrounding district.

George Clark, small grazing run holder at Macraes, said he had held 3300 acres for 10 or 11 years, his rental being B^d per acre. He had 1200 acres adjoining, partly free. liold and partly perpetual lease. He carried 1800 crossbred sheep. About 40 acres were put down in turnips every year. The snow lay a good time in winter. The death rate was from 16 to 25 per cent, per annum. So far he had not required to tray to keep up his stock. The average clip per sheep was s^lb. He considered that his rent was too high. Alongside him, on very similar country, one man paid 4d and another sd. These men got a reduction by surrendering some years ago. Witness had thought of doing the same, but did not like to run the risk of losing his run. He would like if the Land Board had discretionary power to deal with "cases of this kind. In- reply to questions, witness said he bad not don-s any surface-sowing on .his run. If he were allowed valuation he ■would sow grass, and such a step would improve the. carrying capacity of the land. Be would like to have the right to acquire the freehold* of his holding at the Government valuation. He had always favoured a Fair Rent BilL IT his rent were too low he would not object to pay a higher rent. His property was at one time part of the Shag "Valley run. He could not say how his rent compared with the rent previously obtained from the run. The settlement of xhe country taken from the run was fairly successful. Since taking up his land he had found that it was not what he had thought it was. If his place were to be put up at a.uction he did not think it would fetch the rental he was now paying. He had done some surface-sowing. It would cost

about 10s per acre, which would mean another 6d per acre, but he did not know if it would pay to go to the expense. He did not see how a Fair Rent Bill could bs applied to freeholders. Arthur Heckler, farmer, Waikouaiti, said he farmed 3500 acres with his brothers. Part of the area was a small grazing run and part freehold. The land carried 2000 sheep, together with some cattle. Grain and root crops grown on the farm were consumed on the plaes.. The branch of the Farmers' Union at Waikouaiti had appointed three of their numbe-r to appear before the commission. Witness was one of flic number. He regarded the constitution of the Land Board as satisfactory. The

appointments had also been satisfactory. He thought the Crown tenants ought to "be represented on the board. The Government. might appoint two members and the ckairman, and the Crown tenants one member. He would not say that that was the. ooinion of the union: it was his own opinion. He thought that Crown tenants ought to nave the right of purchase under all tenures,- though, he -would bar education and- other reserves. He considered that the deferred-payment and the perpetual-lease were the best tenures for the settlement of the country. There ought to be a revaluation every 21 years, the tenant to have the first offer of renewal. Restrictions on ' tenants ought not to be stringent, and townspeople ought to be allowed to hold sections on conditions of improvement rjut not residence. He considered the ballot system was very satisfactory. He was not aware of the working of the second ballot. The original formation of roads ought to be a colonial charge, and the maintenance and metalling a " local charge. Ift* advances-to-settlers scheme was a g^a system He considered that a freeholder ™uld work his farm better than a leaseholder. The aggregation of tage «tato was not going on in the district. Farmers mfeht buy lach other out occasionally. Many of the sections in the district were foo small in the fir* instance. Grown Lnants ought to get liberal valuation for all improvements in the way of drainage, , grassing, plantation, etc. . J Answering questions, witness said that , to^H tenants on both freehold Sd leShoia lands but as a rule the free- , holder looked after his section better . He would also give the freehold to the lessees | of lands purchased under the Land foiSettle , merts Act. The membership of the WaiSSSti branch of the Farmers' Union was | 60 including 12 or 13 Crown tenants. The branch had nassed a resolution m favour, of granting the freehold to Crown tenants He could not say under what tenure these tenants held their leases. Every Crown tenant in tfie district had signed the petition to Parliament in support of the option ot the freehold. He could not say that the branch favoured revaluation. Charles M'Gregor said he had been settled in the district for 47 years. He owned an agricultural farm of 550 acres and kept sheep, cattle, and dairy cows. He thought that every man should have a right to get the freehold of his land. He did not think the lease in perpetuity was right It was too long a lease, and one man would not see it out -MLaushter.) The Government had been very shifty of late years, and as it had been taking freeholds, it might take the leaseholds too. He favoured the constitution of the Land Board, but thought it should have more power. There was _ no ao-s-regation of estates m the district. Everyone was satisfied to hold on to his own. Land was going up in value. This wa. owing to the fact that there were good markets, and not to anything that Mr Seddon had done. Lime should be free, both in railage and cost. He would like the Government to give 10 tons to every acre. There was some land that could stand it all. It paid a man to lime his land, but not inuoh of it had been done in the district. The price of lime at the kiln was 12s or 13s per ton. Of course, land could be spoiled with lime, just as whisky could be spoiled with water. — (Laughter.) Replying to questions, witness said he would not give the. freehold to private tenants. He'had not thought out the question. He approved of the land for settlements system and the deferred-payment Eystem. Mr Paul commenced to question witness i about large estates formerly held in the dis- j triet. He referred to the estate of the late 7ohn Jones. \

Witness said the Jones Estate had been cut up amongst his family. Each got a slice — ju^t as much as a young man like 3VTr Paul would care to look at with one of the girls. — (Laughter. ) "Witness mentioned the names of several of the Jones family emoDerst whom the estate was divided.

Mr Paul : I hope you don't infer that I would have looked at all those girls?

Witness (decidedly) : No ; you would have had enough to do to look at one. — (Hearty laughter.) Further questioned, witness said he thought that before the Government bought private land it might look round and use land of its own. He came to New Zealand to get a bit of land of his own, and many other men who came from Scotland were actuated by the same motive. When there was no lime in a district to distribute among the farmers, as in some parts of the North Island, he would make it up to the farmers in some other way. He looked on this part of the colony as a Garden of Eden compared with the North Island. Here the people had everything, as anyone oould see in passing through the country, but it was very different in the North Island. He would give the whole of the North Island for nothing to people who would take it up. He did not favour the proposal to put any further tax on the land. The land was taxed sufficiently now. Mr M'Cardle hoped that, as the South Island had all it wanted, the member for the district would give all his assistance towards getting something more for the North Island than it had now.

Witness said he had no doubt Mr Mackenzie would .assist the North Island as well as his own district. He was a gentleman who would do his best for the colony as a whole.

Edward Clark said he held 1708 acres as a small grazing run under the Land for Settlements Act. He paid a rental of £171 per annum, which was too high. He objected to the cutting down of improvements by the> Land Board when it failed to find a tenant, for the surrendered section. He thought the examination of applicants for land opened for settlement caused delay and expense. Married men with children ought to have a preference in taking up land, especially if they had previously applied. He would not sell the freehold in ©very case. The 999 years' lease seemed to him to be" just as good as a freehold. No preference should be given to townspeople. Married women should not have the right to take up land. Improvements should be secured in every case to tenants. There should be no grouping; applicants should have a free choice.

In reply to questions, witness said he did not think the evidence given by some of the members of the Land Board was consistent, in that they held the freehold themselves but did not like to give it to other people.

John Duncan, farmer, said he had 400 acres of freehold and 30 acres of leasehold at Dunback. He considered that the ballot should b& improved, so that thorough, practical farmers could have a preference, especially when married. In fixing the rent of land for settlement, the task should be undertaken by a man who knew what the land would produce. In surveying, care should be taken to include water if possible, and the sections should be large enough to. enable a man and his family to make a living. He was a leaseholder by preference. It was easier to go on the land — it did not require the money, — and a buyer could be more readily obtained. The conditions ought to be fair rent, evaluation for improvements, and secure tenure. The desire for the freehold was actuated by eentiment. The freehold did not improve the productiveness of the land. A freeholder was apt to overcrop to make money, or, if he had a mortgage, to j.ay the interest. Lessees wanr.jng to borrow on leasehold should be allowed to borrow up to three-fifths of their improvements. The Land Board always gave the tenants favourable consideration. It ought to have discretionary power in the matter of reducing rents. Purely farming land should not be less than 200 or 300 acres. He considered that among the leaseholders there were as many good farmers as among the freeholders.

Edward Henry Clark, builder, Palmerston, disapproved of tenants who had the option of purchase getting the land at the original price without being put up to auction.

James Ross said he held over 7000 acres of leasehold and freehold land. The leasehold was not Government land. He had tried surface sowing on his land with success. Much d«pended on the season, but the seed would lie on the ground a long time, and germinate when the moisture came. He had sown cocksfoot and white | clover. He did not believe in fescues. If | he had land of his own in Central Otago |he would try surface sowing. He knew of instances in which it had been successful there, notably at Macraes. Resting would assist the land. The natural pastures had deteriorated, but were now better than they That was owing to -the rabbits being kept down and to the good seasons. A good practical man was required on the Land Board to advise as to carrying capacity and as to the proper subdivision of country. i A mistake had been made in taking away so much of the low country from the high country. He thought the deferred payment system was the best system ever devised for agricultural lands, and the small grazing run system for the pastoral lands. He had known grass seeding carried out by putting the seed into the wool of the sheep. The grass had afterwards been found miles away. It would pay the country to provide grass seed fiee of cost. He was a freeholder out and out. Members of the Land Board should represent each part and each interest in the district. What wag the good of appointing men from the coast? Four or five members could represent the whole of Otago. If the freehold were given it would make the country more prosperous. He did not know if any benefit would thereby be reflated on the towns. He did not take the townspeople into consideration at all. — (Laughter.) David Ross said he held a small grazing run of 4900 acres in the Macraes, district, for which he paid 4£d per acre. It was high, bleak country, and never had more than 2000 sheep on it. The death-rate was about 20 per cent., and he had to buy in to keep up his stock. Surface sowing on Mount Royal had been a great success. It had been going on for 28 years. He was quite satisfied with the constitution of the Land Board. t

The commission left by train at 3.25 p.m. for Oamaru.