LAND WORKING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 December 1943, Page 3

LAND WORKING

POLICY OF BRITISH LABOUR PARTY OUTLINED IN EXECUTIVE STATEMENT.’ NATIONAL ACQUISITION & CONTROL. (British Official Wireless.) I RUGBY, December 5. In a published statement of Labour policy, the National Executive of the Labour Party advocates the passage of legislation giving the State power to acquire all agricultural land and laying down a basis of compensation io owners. “We desire to emphasise,”, the statement says, “that the necessity for national ownership of agricultural land is too urgent to leave t'o a very giadual, piecemeal procedure over a long period of years. The acquisition should be carried out as rapidly and on as large a scale. as is practically possible. Pending total acquisition of agricultural land we recommend tia the following indispensable conditions should be insisted upon in connection wijh the ownership and use of all agricultural land:-- , . “(1) Character of the equipment oi land should be prescribed by a competent body, responsible to the Minister of Agriculture. . . “(2) A national land commission should be authorised to issue development bonds at a low rate of inteiest and to make loans for the purpose of assisting equipment in approved cases. “(3) If the existing owner is unable or unwilling to provide indispensable capital equipment, then the nationa, commission should purchase the lan . Rent appeal courts of a suitable character, the statement adds, should bo appointed to determine fair rents. Other suggestions envisage the continuance of the present county executive agricultural committees, the formulation by the Minister of Agriculture of ia definite home food production programme, the appointment by the Minister of Agriculture of a national land commission to hold all agricultural land belonging to the State and to be responsible to the Minister for its 3dministration, equipment and use.