THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND POLICY

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXII, Issue 12437, 9 April 1908, Page 5

THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND POLICY

Minister of Lands Interviewed.

(Per United Press Association.)

ASHBURTON, April 8

The Hon. Robert McNab gave a lengthy resume of the condition of affairs in the Dominion, and a vigorous vindication of the Government's land policy, to a Guardian reporter yesterday. He said it was a mistake to suppose that, in the South Island, we were anywhere near our limits, but he believed that, as a whole, the land in this island would not be so much subdivided as in the North Island. Altogether, he thought that the prospects before the two islands, when they had both become traversed by lines of railway, would be very good indeed. He stated that there was a great demand for the 33 years' renewable lease, and quoted instances. Continuing, he said, "Everywhere I find a disposition among the large landowners to look upon the subdivision of their properties as a thing that cannot now be indefinitely delayed I It is certain that the increase in the graduated land tax has encouraged this sub-division, and I believe that the power given to owners to prevent the compulsory clauses of the Land for Settlement Act, while delaying compulsory subdivision, is compelling voluntary subdivision by sending large areas of land on the market — through the taxation being too costly for holding them-r-over all parts of New Zealand that large areas are now held in-. It is only the phenomenal profit from stock-raising of late years that has enabled them to hold on under present conditions. Some of the syndicates who have purchased estates' iri the South Island are trying to unload them on to the Government, and some of their members are willing to unload, even at less than what they paid for them. Not all the syndicates who rushed in before the Government and purchased are going to clear big profits, and I think generally that the land market for the next few years will be easier, and will allow of the Government buying for cask, and selling on easier terms. Thus we will be in a better position than during the last few years*, when, in the excitement of high prices, almost anything was offered to get land under anything but boom conditions. The Crown can find cultivators for its land when syndicates cannot find owners to occupy them. I believe we are coming forward to a steady and not a boomed prosperity. As Minister of Agriculture, my sympathies, arc, of course, with the cultivators. Too often, successful speculation makes farmers dissatisfied and takes them out of the ranks of cultivators'. Speculation and dear land generally accompany one another. That is one of the reasons why I hold that dear land is not the best condition for the State."

The Minister further stated that, if not another area was brought under the provisions of the Land for Settlement Act, the machinery under the legislation of last session would silently but effectively bring about subdivision everywhere. Concluding, he said : "The settlement of the land along the lines upon which we are going appears to be the best method which could have been suggested for the distribution of wealth among the people, so that we contend that our policy in regard to the distribution of wealth is wrapped up in our land policy, and any solution of the one is equally a solution of the other. That is, the settling of the country along our lines means the advancement of industry in the towns."