LAND QUESTION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10684, 3 February 1913, Page 1

LAND QUESTION.

I AIR LLOYD GEORGE'S INQUIRY.

I STARTLING RESULTS I PROPHESIED. I CONDITIONS OP EMPLOYMENT. I SHOULD MAKE EMPIRE HANG ITS ■ . HEAD IN SHAME. I TJniUd Press Association—By Electric I Ttlejiaph—Copyright. I LONDON, February 1. I . Mr Lloyd George, in a speech at the I National Liberal Club, denied the I suggestion . that the ' ' Government I haoT condacted i a clandestine inI quiry into the private and personal I affairs of landowners with a view to I making attacks on political opponents. I ... The Government, had merely filled the H gaps in incomplete reports of previous H investigations. It was impossible to H get unfettered evidence through offiH cial inquiries. 'The results of the inH guiry toon yrould be published. He I foreolsted startling results. Hundreds H 'of thousands'if-not millions of people H • were employed on the land under conH Editions which ought to make a grjeat H empire hang its neatl in shame. The H workers were not paid enough to keep H [their wives and children above semiH starvation. The land was held under H conditions which discouraged capital and brains being invested in its developmerit. Many- rural workers were H driven to the towns, depressing wages H and creating unemployment. The remedy, ought to cover both country arid town labour. It was everyone's interest to see the land placed on a H .business footing. H RUSTY, EFFETE AND UNPROFIT- ■ ABLE SYSTEM. '.■'!' Mr Lloyd George- said that the foremost "task of the near future was the regeneration of rural life and the emancipation of the land from tho paralysing grip of a rusty, effete and, .unprofitable system. The land ought to produce twofold its present output. The remedy was not to tax food nor crush the land by fresh taxation. H , NEWSPAPER COMMENTS. ■ The " Pall Mall Gazette " says that Mr Lloyd George's speech confirms the rumour of the postponement of his pet land programme to the Education Bill. The "Daily Mail" interprets .the as an indication of differences with Mr Asquith respecting next sesgion's programme.