THE LAND QUESTION

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 4

THE LAND QUESTION

PETITIONS BEFORE PARLIAMENT,

AMENDING LEGISLATION URGED. WELLINGTON, September 23.

In the House of Representatives this afternoon, the Chairman of the Lands Committee (Mr E. Newman) reported that the committee had no recommendations to make on the petition of Herbert Woils and 15 others, praying that land suitable for dairying purposes be secured at Pukearuho, Taranaki. . A discussion followed, _ during which Messrs Anderson and Jennings urged that the land law as it stood was faulty, inasmuch as there was now no power to take land compulsorily. Closer settlement was much needed in many parts of the dominion, and such powers as the Government had to promote the subdivision of big blocks should bo immediately put into -force.

Messrs Wilkinson and Hine supported the report of the committee, contending that the land in question w r as not suitable for closer settlement, being both too small in area and poor in quality. Mr Hindmarsh asked how many subdivision notices had been given to land owners under the Land Act. It was simply a Tory dodge to burk settlement to send down reports that the land was not suitable for settlement. The Government?took good care to keep a majority on the Lands Committee to get such reports. The Prime Minister defended the constitution of the Lands Committee, and then proceeded to say that ho was prepared to- admit that aggregation of land was going on in New Zealand. In order to fortify himself on the subject, he had asked the Commissioners of Crown Lfinds to report if aggregation was going on in their respective districts, but, strange to say, he had not yet received a single reply. When ho had a definite case brought _ before him he was prepared to have it _ investigated. Some members were of the opinion that no settlement was going on, but it must be remembered that since the outbreak of war they had to slow down. They had also to remember that an many of our surveyors had enlisted, the work could not be carried out as expeditiously as in previous years, and for that and other reasons, he was not spending nearly so much money as he had been doing formerly. He quoted figures Eublished in the lands report, to show what ad been done in the way of promoting settlement during the past two years, and then expressed the opinion that in the case reported on by the committee, the Government could not take the block compulsorily, because it was too small, containing only 600 acres. Every attention was being paid to the question of subdividing land for our wounded soldiers, and part of the business of the Lands Committee that morning was to consider that very proposal. Considering the difficulties, financial and otherwise, which the Government had to face, he could assure the House that closer settlement was not being neglected. The report i was adopted. The Chairman of the Lands Committee brought down the report of the committee on the petition of W. Beath and 12 others, praying that their Thames High School endowment leasee be taken over by the Crown, and that the renewal leases give the right of acquiring the freehold. The committee had no recommendation to make, but expressed the opinion that _as educational leases throughout the dominion were not considered satisfactory, the Government should consider the desirability of laying down a uniform system of lease for all such endowments. A discussion followed, in which the present administration of church and educational endowments was generally condemned, a more uniform system of tenure and compensation for improvements being advocated. The report was adopted. (From Don Own Correspondent. ) WELLINGTON, September 23. Mr Newman (Chairman of the Committee) said he thought that every education lease should be for 21 years, and that the leasee should then have the right of renewal at a revaluation. Such a system would benefit equally the tenants, the owners of the land, and the country generally, because it would make for better farming and greater productiveness. Members generally expressed approval of the committee’s recommendation, and not one spoke in favour of the present system. The majority of the speakers said there was dissatisfaction throughout the country on the part of the holders of education leases, and it was hoped that during the recess the Government would take action in . the • direction suggested. Mr Anstey referred to church endowment leases in Canterbury, declaring that the unsatisfactory tenure under which these were offered resulted in large tracts of splendid land being left idle. Members generally admitted that the returns received by education bodies from these lands were not commensurate with their actual value, and that the lands were badly farmed and allowed to deteriorate, -and were let unprofitablv in large blocks. Some members advocated the freehold for education leases, some that the Government should take over and administer all these lands for the benefit of education, and some th it the present system should continue to operate, exc-mt that it be controlled by special legislation.