LAND AND DAIRY CONTROL MATTERS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16338, 12 May 1927, Page 5

LAND AND DAIRY CONTROL MATTERS

MR. HOLLAND'S VIEWS. (Per Press Association.) PALMERSTUN N., last night. Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of tho Labor Party, addressed a fairly large audience to-night, confining himself himself to land and' dairy produce control matters, his remarks being on the lines of previous addresses. He said he regretted land aggregation, which he claimed had increased under Reform rule. He urged State farming on a big scale, and the natural development of the land along the lines of Denmark, namely, smaller holdings and more intensive cultivation, with the landholder securing the benefit of all improvements. Tho "speaker also dealt with mortgages, which he claimed had increased during tho Reform regime by 188 per cent, in amount, while the capital value of land increased 77 per cent. He alleged that neither the State Advances nor the. Bank of New Zealand made use of the powers given them last session to provide farmers with cheap money. He said he regretted the recent increase in the bank rate at a time when money Mas* never more badly needed. He claimed the increased rate would strike a blow at the Post- Officii Savings Bank. Mr. Holland said small farmers were carrying the greater part of the mortgage burden, 74 per cent, of mortgages being for amounts under £SOOO. The mortgage system was driving men oh" the land, and, 'like'Mr. Coates, was " getting things done." (Laughter.) The speaker attacked the land agency system and oonsidere'd this work should be done by the binds Department. The latter part of his address concerning dairy control matters has already been broadcast. Briefly, he supported co-operative marketing and priee-iixing to prevent Tooley street speculation, and endorsed thei statement- Oil the grounds that the board should' be allowed to carry on its work on the lines of 'the Act. The speaker was accorded a vote of thanks.