THE LAND BILL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 4656, 9 October 1913, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

PAHIATUA MEMBER’S VIEWS. THE BALFOUR ESTATE. ITS ACQUIREMENT URGED. (By Telegraph.—Special to the Herald!. J Wellington, This Day. ' 'Hie member for Pahiatua (Mr J. H. Esoott) was amongst the speakers on the Land Bill this afternoon. He

contended that the granting of the freehold to the Crown tenants was not an act of generosity, but an act of gratitude warranted bv their labours. The Bill, he said, would confer a great benefit upon settlers, and the State would not be robbed of anything at all. The State would receive fair value for its interest in the lease, and at the same time it would give greater security of tenure to the holders of the land. He enumerated the many advantages which the settlers derived from the freehold, but said that as the leasehold was a stepping stone to the freehold, he favoured the optional form of tenure. He expressed warm approval of the provision in clause 44 that the revenue derived from lands in certain districts shall for specified periods be aplied towards the oonestruction of roads in such districts. This, he sadi, would bo of special assistance to the backblocks. Mr Escott also expressed approval of section 52, which deals with the acquisition of private lands for settlement. He referred to the Balfour Estate, of 3346 acres, near the township of Pahiatua, as a case in point. The residents of Pahiatua had been anxious for many years that this estate should be acquired and cut up for settlement. So far. however, the Land Purchase Board had been unable to come to any agreement as to terms with the owner of the estate. He hoped that a price would be put upon the estate which would enable the State to acquire it, as the bringing of it into closer settlement would materially advance the prosperity of the town of Pahiatua and the surrounding district.