SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13649, 17 July 1908, Page 2

SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

THE PREMIER'S SCHEME. CRITICISED BY~~HON. J. ANSTEY. In the Financial Statement last week, the Premier indicated a scheme under which a number of settlers could combine to purchase a block of laud from a private owner for subdivision, the purchase money to be found by the Government, In a speech in the Legislative Council the Hon. J. Anstey made the following reference to this proposal: In his speech the other day the Premier outlined a proposal under which the Government will be assisted in carrying out the settlement of the land, and on lines somewhat similar to the Advances to Settlers Act. I have not yet had an opportunity of examining his suggestion carefully, but so far as I have been able to gather, there seems to bo something very useful in the proposal, and a generous attempt to overcome what I consider an injustice imposed in last j-car's land-tax legislation. Last year we agreed to an amendment of the law which I condemned rather severely. Parliament agreed to the imposition of a penal tax at one particular amount; and it was proposed that it should take effect at once. As the provision was originally introduced, we not only forced a man to sell, his land at once, but such conditions were imposed as prevented him selling it to reasonable advantage. We made the conditions such that it was impossible for the most suitable class of purchasers to apply for the land. The law was introduced in this way; that no sale.was considered genuine unless 2b per cent, of the purchase-money was paid. It is true that we modified that provision later on, and provided that ii 15 per cent, of the purchase-money was paid it was U> be considered a propei transfer. In my opinion the amount of purchase-money to be paid at once is still too high. Our best settlers are those whom the Hon. Mr Ban- iorgot to mention in his speech—they are the farmers' sons and farm labourers. Those arc the men who have been working on the farms, who are familiar with the work of settlement, ::jid who, although possessed of veiy little cash, make the best class of settlers. Speaking generally, these men become our best settlers, who like our land-for-settlement tenants are not called upon to make any deposit on account of purchase-money, but are free to devote their whole resources to improving and developing their holdings. Thus- 1 regard the ■ proposal outlined by the Premier to be an important step in the right direction. We pass legislation which forces people to sell their land, but in doing that we should allow the owners every opportunity to dispose of their land to the best advantage. 1 have not had an opportunity of thoroughly examining the financial part of the proposal outlined by the Premier. I am confident, however, that, that part of it is in better hands than mine, and therefore I am quite content to leave that part to him. There is, however, in my opinion, a weakness in the proposal, and 1 trust it will be thoroughly considered, and remedied. The suggestion of the Government is that, say, ten settlers may make an application for, and take up, a block of land—that arrangements may be made by the Government for these men' to take up the laud. ' I foresee a difficulty in the decision being come to as to which of the ten men ifi to tak-a up the land on behalf of the others. 1 feel quite certain that that will prove a stumbling-block, and will spoil the. success of the scheme in many cases. If you have ten settlers taking up a block of land, how are you going to have p-;atis-factory arrangements- made as between the different settlers? An instance occurred at Invercargill, to my own knowledge,, where seven sections of land were* •open for selection, and seven people applied for a section, and yet not one of those men, got the section he applied for. The Hon. Dr. Findlay.—Ample provision is made- to meet that difficulty. You have nob seen the Bill yet. The Hon. Mr Anstey.—Of course I do not know the. provisions of the Bill to be brought in by the Government; but I would make this suggestion to the Government!: that they should reverse the procedure, and instead of say ten settlers applying for one block of land, provision should be made enabling the owner of a block of land to place it in the hands of the Land Board, to cut up the land as they please, and dispose of it by ballot. And that the very liberal financial arrangements proposed should be extended to the successful applicants. So that instead of ten applicants for the land you will probably have a hundred. The Hon. Dr. Findlay.—lt is not limited to ten. The Hon. JMr Anstey.—l am aware of that. But you limit the number of applicants to the number of the sections, none of whom can know until too late to withdraw whether he will get a .section he wishes or one which ifiay not suit him, but I think the suggestion T make would be preferable to that made by the Government. If the proposal were amended or altered in the way I have suggested, I think it might be found to be a most suitable addition to the law.'