LAND PRICES

Southland Times, Issue 20538, 14 July 1928, Page 8

LAND PRICES

A WARNING MR J. R. HAMILTON REVIEWS POSITION THE IMPORTANCE OF FARMING (Special to the Times.) Wellington, July 13. A warning not to let the better prices which have been received for the past season’s produce pave the way to another land boom was uttered in the House to-day by Mr J. R. Hamilton (Awarua). “It is very pleasing to us all to see how the trading position of New Zealand has come back and how we are putting behind us the dark days of depression,” Mr Hamilton said. “Just because we have got better prices for our produce we should not lose our heads. No farmer can say what his position is simply by taking one season’s returns. He must examine the returns over a number of years, striking the average of the good and the bad times he experiences.” Mr Hamilton referred in caustic terms to those who had blamed the Government for the depression which had been experienced recently and turned the tables on the critics by stating that ifthey could blame the Government for the bad times then in all honesty they should give the Government the credit for the good times. He said it was rubbish to say that men were being driven off the land. He could speak with a personal knowledge of the South Island and he defied the leader of the Opposition and the leader of the Nationalists to travel from Picton to the Bluff and find one per cent, of vacant farms. If the Government was driving men off the land as was alleged, there should be any number of vacant farms. The Leader of the Opposition: Have you seen the transfer returns? Mr Hamilton: They tell you nothing. They record every case where a lease has been surrendered in order that a fresh lease may be taken up. If people have left the land for the towns it is not the Government that is responsible, but other causes. Speaking of the importance of farming, Mr Hamilton emphasized that 60 per cent, of the Dominion’s population were dependent on the prosperity of the other 40 per cent, who were engaged in farming. The position of the farmers was therefore a matter of national concern, and it was the duty of Parliament and of everyone else to see that the men on the land received every penny for their produce. He defended the establishment of control boards. It had been said the Government was interfering too much in business, but there would be no interference of those who complained. They had done voluntary what they had been compelled to do by legislation.