THE UPPER HOUSE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17130, 4 September 1926, Page 16

THE UPPER HOUSE

A STREAM OF BILLS

LAND LAWS AMENDED

(Per Press Association.! WELLINGTON, last night

In the Legislative Council to-day, the Hutt Valley Land Settlement Bill; the Local Bodies Loans Bill, ih'O Finance Bill, the Dentists' Amendment Bill, the Workers' Compensation Amendment Bill, the Main High-way* Amendment Bill, the Waimnkariri River Improvement Amendment Bill, and the Education Amendment Bill were received from I lie House and read a first time. The Council approved of the amendments in the .Mildred Elaine Smyth Divorce Bill made by the House, and the Veterinary Surgeons' /'ill was passed without amendment. A lengthy debate took place mi the Land Laws Amendment Bill, permitting the sale of national endowment lands and the rein vestment in cities. Sir Robert Stout, said the Bill involved a huge mistake and declared that it would be an enormous advantage to the State if the leasing system were adhered to. We must look to endowments to keep taxation low. If the leases were abolished it would be wrong for the State, as a generous landlord, to hold the land, and the control and management of the land -would lie left in the hands of wealthy people and wealthy corporations. To allow some people to lie landlords and yet not permit the Stale to lie a landlord was illogical, improper, unsound, and contrary to all economic doctrines.

The Hon.' R. Moore disagreed with Sir Robert Stout and submitted that the present endowment lands would he worth much more to tho State when sold and the proceeds reinvested in the cities. The proposal was in the best interests of production and settlement.

The Hon. J. A. Hanan blamed the introduction of freehold for the excessive land gambling and declared that leasehold would have prevented the drift to the towns. Leaseholds enabled the poor man with a little capital to get on the land and also secured limitation of area. Ho deprecated making a raifj on the public estate.