The Land Commission.

Southland Times, Issue 19492, 24 February 1905, Page 3

The Land Commission.

EVIDENCE TAKEN IN INVERCARGILL A STEWART ISLAND DELEGATE. The Land Commission resumed at 10 a.in. yesterday, when further witnesses were examined. Mr Galvin Brighton, Wairaki, said he was the ocuupier of land part freehold and part right of purchase, and ho suggested that it would be better to put land under the optional system and under 1.i.p., under the some conditions in regard to interest. He had been asked to transfer his land to the l.i.p. tenure, and save 1 per cent, .interest, but he preferred to have the right of purchase and pay the extra 1 per cent. He wanted to be clear sometime.

To Mr Anstey : He considered a section under " the right of purchase ” more

valuable than under l.i.p. Mr John McLean, Caroline (member of Land Board), a farmer of ISOO- acres freehold, with 21 years’ experience, complained that the exemption under the land tax used to be 11500, but under the last valuation it was reduced to £l9O. He was one of the unfortunates under the graduated land tax, and as he had a family and partner he would have to subdivide in order to escape the tax. That was hard fortune indeed, and might lead to all sorts of trouble. To Mr McKerrow : He had surfacesown his high r dges with success. The tussock and fern should be burnt in August, just as much as you could sow down, and then use use first-class ma-chine-dressed seed. Rubbishy stuff was no good. Where practicable, a tripod harrow was put over the ground after the seed was sown. If that mode of sowing the runs of Southland was put in practice it would increase the carrying capacity by 25 per cent. The Government should select and supply the seed to tenants. The seed must be good, ami carefully applied. To Mr McCutchan : Where sheep were put on in ragwort sections before it came to bloom, they prevented it from seeding and thrived on it. To Mr Johnston : In regard to pasturing the runs, surface-sowing and a year’s spell would put the very life into the runs.

To Mr Paul : The Land Board would be much the better of having more discretionary power, and a freer hand ii. small things, without being bound to th.' Wellington office. To Mr Anstey : Crown tenants .should

be encouraged to surface-sow grazin', leases by grants of seed ; or they shouli: be also given valuation for improve rnents.

The Commission thanked the witness for his valuable evidence in regard tc

surface-sowing. Mr Michael O’Connor, Te Tua, occupying 780 acres under 1.i.p., said he was rated for £265 improvements, yet when he applied three years ago for a loan of £,70 the Government refused. That amounted to this, that the Government valued thorn for local taxes, and ’then would not abide by the valuation for lending purposes. The l.i.p. was a bad tenure. They wanted the chance of getting the freehold. To Mr Paul : Hald he got a loan and had the conditions surrounding the l.i.p. been less exacting, lie would regard the tenure as not so bad. To Mr Anstey : Ho would rather have land “ under right of purchase ” at (' per cent, rent than l.i.p. at per cent At present his interest was practicall.s nil. He could not sell out or get an ad vance.

Air .lames Thomson, Stewart Island, said he had 2.3 acres freehold and 408 acres under tlie optional tenure. He urged that settlement was wanted in Stew art Island, and a concession in taking up land was wanted. The optional system, giving tenants the right ot purchase would work welt. The placing ol tin land under the mining leases was a mistake. as also was the suggestion to re serve the whole island for scenic purposes. Enough was already reserved, and settlement was wanted. The right ol purchase was wanted It encouraged thrift and the desire to own the lanu he worked was inborn in almost every individual. Land would not be taken up in the island under l.i.p. Large areas would not be required—say 25 to 50

acreas each holding. To Mr McCutchan : So far as he knew no one on the island favoured l.i.p. There should be some provision entitling l.i.p. tenants to transfer to o.r.p. He thought the Stafcj had no right to unearned increment.

To Mr Johnston : He started 27 years ago with 2s (Id, but even then he would have preferred to take up o.r.p. rather than l.i.p. Tile " occupation with right of purchase " paid the pocket best. To Mr Paul > The homestead system would do very well in Stewart Island. To Mr McArdle : He believed that Stewart Islanders had well earned any increment. The 1 per cent, added to the value would be ample compensation to the Government.

Mo other witnesses were in attendance, and the Commission adjourned at noon In the afternoon,

John Murchland, Nokomai, said .he had a large area of 1.i.p., and he was peifectly satisfied with it. “ I'm getting on, you know. I haven’t got a buggy vet •' I'm going slow." Have you got the freehold yet? asked the Commission. “No (contemptuously) ; the d—d Crescent's got Hie freehold." This was u dark allusion to a mortgage. The witness then made a few suggestions in the same breezy manner, shook hands with everyone in the room, and took his de-

parture. This concluded the evidence, and tM Commission left for Orepuki by the afternoon train. On Saturday the Commission. returns by the morning tram, and will hear evidence till 1 o'clock only as they leave for Stewart Island in the afternoon.