CROWN LANDS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20802, 10 August 1937, Page 11

CROWN LANDS

PROBLEMS FACIUG TENANTS REVIEW BY MR BARNES Problems confronting settlers on Crown land were dealt with by Mr David Barnes, M.P., in an address at the annual meeting of the St. Andrews branch of the Crown Tenants’ Association last night, and after explaining the purpose of the Government’s legislation, he proceeded to give reasons why its action had been delayed. Neither the State Advances Corporation nor the Department of Lands, he said considered that the appointment of more valuers was necessary; that put the blame on the Adjustment Commissions, and their answer was that both the Courts and lawyers had their ordinary work, and the commissions often had to stand down for a week or more simply because the Court could not handle the work. “I am here more or less as a member of the Crown Tenants' Association," he stated, “and not so much as a politician. I am here to help Crown tenants as much as I can.” He solicited questions, and if it were not possible for him to answer them, he would refer them to the Department. “I have tried to do my best for Crown tenants in all the years I have been a member of the Association,” he added, “and your troubles are. my troubles, and while trying to solve your troubles, I am trying to rectify my own.” After other business connected with the meeting was taken, a member asked why more committees for revaluation were not appointed. “We'll be dead before we get it,” he said. “Why can’t they put on more and get the work over quicker?” The president (Mr L. R. Fenwick): We’ll leave that to Mr Barnes. He might be able to answer it. Mr Barnes: “There are several points like that that have been put to me lately.” Tenants considered that it might be possible to put on more valuers, but he thought there was some misunderstanding about the position. The mortgagee could send his valuer on to a property and the mortgagor was entitled to do the same. Those valuers appeared before the commission. Its job was to reach some decision. It obtained a report from the valuers and entered into negotiations. With regard to the point why there were not more valuers appointed, he had raised It with the AttorneyGeneral, who was in charge of the Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act, and he had replied to the effect that the fields staff of the Corporation and the Department was coping with the work. If present progress continued, it would not be necessary to make further appointments. Blame on Commissions “That puts the blame on to the Adjustment Commissions,” Mr Barnes proceeded, “if anything has been held up. Their answer is this: the courts at Timaru and Waimate have their ordinary work, and the lawyers also have their ordinary work. It is a fact that the Adjustment Commissions have to stand down for a week or more simply because the courts cannot handle the work. That is a fact. In the light of that explanation, it would not appear that the appointment of more valuers would do much good If the courts cannot handle the work. I don’t see what advantage it would be. From my own inquiries, the Department seems to be perfectly satisfied with the progress the committees are making.” , A member: How many do they do in a day. Mr Barnes: “It depends how big the case is; some are very involved. I believe It is two. I can assure you that we want to clean the mess up as soon as possible. If there is any way we can expedite matters, I am all for it.” In South Canterbury there were a large number of uneconomic areas, especially some returned soldier settlements. “I think we are all agreed that many of those soldiers have not enough land,” he proceeded. “I can take you to settlement after settlement not worth a tin of fish.” On such areas, cropping would be the only way to show a return, but the land was not good enough for wheat. Grazing was, therefore, the only thing, and, consequently, the men involved had not enough land. He did not think the Commissions would enter into any voluntary adjustments with those men. They had to determine what was enough land to maintain a farmer and his family comfortably. If a farmer did not have enough land, it meant that something else had to be done for him. “Well, it is a matter of Government policy to determine what should happen to that man," he added. “If you have any other points you would like to raise, I should be pleased to hear them.”

Farmers’ Valuation Mr J. Bowie: Don’t you think a man fanning a place could value it better than anyone else? Mr Barnes: Let us get this point clear.” Allowing that two parties were concerned, they sent their valuers around to see what the place was worth. Then an offer was made. If the farmer were * not satisfied, he could make a counter offer, and further, If an agreement were not reached, the matter would have to go before the commission. He had seen the estimates of the value of a property, as prepared by two valuers, differ by £lBOO. If those valuations were taken separately, it would be difficult to pull them to pieces, but it had to be remembered that a difference of £5 in the revenue estimate made a difference of £lOO on the capital value.

Mr Bowiei Does a valuer take a year or an average over several years?

Mr Barnes: Usually an average over several years. Before the commission the valuers had to back up their reports or fall down by their own evidence. The fanner also had to file an affidavit which, in effect, contained his own valuation. He had seen an instance where the farmer’s valuation was £2OOO, and that of his valuer £7OOO, while the mortgagee’s valuer had put it at £15,000.

A voice: That must have been in the boom.

Mr Barnes: “Well, the man paid £26,000 for it. So you see the difficulty is to reconcile those different reports.” Last year some tenants had shown good returns, and were in a position to pay their rent. One or two had approached him and asked if they paid their rent whether they would be penalised when they went before the commiyion He... had Pfit the matte£

up to the Minister, who had replied that the tenants would obtain a reduction as from the date fixed by the commission, or in the case of a voluntary’ adjustment, from the date agreed upon. Rebates were fixed by statute and could not be affected. A voice: I doubt if they would date back. Mr Barnes: It is a matter for the commission. I think they should date back, and that it will give every consideration to that point. The Farmer Put Off Mr L. R. Bell: If a farmer has not enough land and you put a man off, what are you going to do with him? Mr Barnes: Suppose you left him there,' you are keeping two farmers below the bread line. Apart, the farms will stand no rent. Together they would probably afford a reasonable living and piy rent. Is not that the only logical way to look at it? Mr Bell: But what about the man who goes out? Mr Barnes: “It is hard, I admit. I advocate shifting such farmers to other land as it becomes available.” Some settlements had been cut up 20 years ago. Returned soldiers had married and reared families, and had their roots in one particular locality. “That,” he added, “is a problem that has to be faced. Wouldn’t it be possible to come to some agreement, even on a settlement, as to who should go out and who should not?

Mr F. Stocker: You all went in with your eyes open and can’t blame the Government for it all.

A member: We don’t altogether blame the Government. The point is that we want to have the position rectified as quickly as possible. Mr Barnes: “That is the point I have been trying to impress on the Government. I think South Canterbury is one of the worst places in New Zealand with regard to uneconomic areas. I think we are paying for the reputation of Canterbury lamb.” He proceeded to supply prices on .which the commissions based valuations. Crossbread wool was put at BJd per lb, a five-year ewe at 17/- and a fat ewe at 12/6 to 13/1. The Court of Review had prepared the figures which did not include the present year. Other basic prices were: 2-tooth ewe 13/10, 4-tooth ewe 27/11, 6-tooth ewe 25/6, 8-tooth ewe 21/8, ewe lambs 19/10, wether lambs 17/4, feed lambs 17/-. A voice: We’ll all have feed lambs.

Continuing, Mr Barnes said cows were put at £B, wheat 5/1, oats 2/71, barley 4/01, ryegrass 3/ and potatoes £4/1/-.

The president (Mr Fenwick): Don’t you think a list of empty sections should be handed over to the commission so that they could put men on them?

Mr Barnes: As the law stands at present, it can’t be done. If the Government decides to settle more land it has to throw it open to ballot. If v.aat I want done is effected, the law will have to be altered. Then we’ll probably have squeals from landhungry people all over the country. It is remarkable how many people want land; they’ll go at it blindfolded. Mr Barnes discussed various other problems in committee.