LAND VALUES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 16 December 1925, Page 6

LAND VALUES.

To the Editor of the-“Tjmarti Herald.’: 3 Sir, —1 see there is .another outbreak, of correspondence -on'land values. Ever since I'call remember this lias occurred periodically, and especially at times of receding prices. Now -Wiefo is not enough land available in-New. Zealand for all who desire it, quite aV-number of land opportunists■; who sold at peak prices are sitting back waiting to buy in at slump prices, and yquy<cbrrespondents for reasons...quite; e’yidbht',, tiy to convince laud-. oivnefS that values are too high. -This bearing of the land market is an interesting and ancient game. A short time .ago ticians ...were warning' t JJye^'yV.'eibflnti^ against Mr Coates, correspondent “Nuff Saitf , ,’-1 ’is warning Mr Coates ..againstUtho' comrtry. Funny, isn’t 3 it-? ’Yoiir correspondent “Alanned” would pack up and go to a country with brighter prospects than - New Zealand. I do not share “Alarmed’s-” pessimistic notions, but I shall be pleased to accompany him if he will tell me where that country is. “Old Cockid” must be a very ancient bird indeed, and moulting at that if he'thinks your readers will believe him when he says 75 per cent, of the present farmers will go bankrupt. What your correspondents (who are so anxious about; other people) want, is a slump in land values with trouble for everyone. It is admitted that there is a quantity of badly farmed and deteriorated land, and the prices asked are’often too high, but this will adjust itself without the groans oi your correspondents;' It-is- also admitted that production must be • increased in order to meet our liabilities. Production in New Zealand has shown large annual increases for many past; and will continue to do so for the future. Our brightest hope-for-increased production is the tractor, top-dressing, and the greater intelligence of our present-day producer. Your correspondents fail to mention the heaviest handicap the farmer hits to endure, viz. the extremely high price for everything lie needs,- including Labour and Capital.—l am, etc., “ PRODUCER.” December 11, 1925.