THE LAND CAMPAIGN.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXX, Issue 12036, 1 December 1906, Page 4

THE LAND CAMPAIGN.

The first shot in the land campaign, which will continue till the opening of tho next session of Parliament, waa fired by the Minister of Lands at OnehungT on Tuesday evening last, and Mr McNab has every reason to be gratified at the reception he received in the enemy's country. There, is a great deal of misconception with regard to the Government Land Bill, and it is fit and proper that Ministers should take the opportunity of explaining its provisions, more especially as the opponents of the measure are strongly organising to rouse the country against it. We have every reason to believe, however, that when the people of the colony are made fully conversant with its details and with the necessity that exists for reforms, the Government will have no cause to fear the result. According to Mr McNab, there will bo very little speaking on the question in the South Island, so far as the Government are concerned, although he had been asked to make an initial speech in connection with a campaign in Christchurch that was being organised indepeudently of the Government. The Minister for Lands anticipates the greatest hostility to the Bill will come from the North Island, although the limitation clauses are generally received with more favour in the north than in the south. This is especially the case in Hawke'a Bay, where there are so many large estates which have retarted settlement and prevented the district making tho progress that othewise would have been made had the lands been held in smaller holdings. Tho Government have received many assurances of support of thc> limitation clause in Hawke's Bay, aud in the event of an election there is every reason to believe that they would sweep the polls in that district. In discussing the Land Bill with the Minister an Auckland interviewer drew attention to the Opposition's contention that it was a weak point in the endowment proposals that that the total revenue from all the remaining Crown lands would be very small in comparison with the requirements of the public services that it was proposed to endow. Tho Minister admitted that the revenue would not be large at the beginning, about .£186,000 a year, while the sum needed was over a million. lie explained, however, that the revenue from the eudowment would largely increase as time went on, and he also pointed out that it i 9 only whilst these lands are of little value that the Government have any hope of getting them set aside. If tlu-y

were of any great value there would bo too many vested interests to contend with. Tor instance if the Government proposed to convert the present leases-in-pcrpetuity i into national endowments what a fierce light would be raised. On being asked how the conflict of opiuion in the north and south regarding the endowment and limitation pro{K)eals was likely to affect the Bill's clumees of becoming law, Mr McNab said: "Well, it confirms one ii tho belief that we will win on both lines. It is mainly a question of misunderstanding in each caae. As soon as we get the people to understand the relative importance of the two issued I think it will be alright." With respect to the option of acquiring the freehold, the Minister said that the freeholders themselves are divided on that point. One section is asking for the freehold at the original valuation, but another section is opposed to this and claims that the freehold should be granted at the present valuation. If the Government proposal to allow the tenants to pay off the 90 per cent, is not carried these people are not likely to get anything at all so far ac the freehold is concerned. There is no chanco whatever of carrying the original valuation proposal. There is a majority of from 20 to 27 against th?l in the present House, whilst there is also a substantial majority against granting the freehold at the present valuation. Either proposal, the Minister is confident, will be defeated, and the only proposition on whieli the two freehold parties can be reconciled is tho Government's The Minister is equally confident that the proposals in regard to the lease in perpetuity holders and tho limitation clause will be carried. The only clause about which there is any uncertainty just now i 6 that relating to endowments, and Mr McNab thinks that will be carried just as easily when the subject has been well threshed out. Until he analysed the feeling of members he never dreamt of being ablo to carry the 90 per cent, proposal for the lease-in perpetuity tenants. He did not think that sufficient leaseholders would agree to that, and they would not have done so but for the eudowment proposals. They really accepted ifc as a compromise. Mr McNab stated that the Bill would be reintroduced early next session. Whilst preserving the main features he was having the machinery clauses simplified. He would not include in next year's Bill the amendment to Clause 4, which had been carried against him in the Lands Committee, and the effect of which would bn to exempt from 'the endowment proposals Native lands hereafter purchased by the Government and leases surrendered after the passing of the Act. Under the original Bill, as introduced, no distinction was mado between the different classes of Crown lands, and this, of course, left Native land purchased by the Government available under the leasehold system only. The Bill will be re-introduced in this form next year.