INFORMATION REFUSED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 15970, 12 November 1919, Page 4

INFORMATION REFUSED.

In connection with the land settlement question, the N.Z. Times remarks: While “the land question lies at the base of the political edifice,” it is none tho less true that land monopoly constitutes tho political basis of tho Reform Party, That, undoubtedly, was tho reason why the Prime Minister refused to allow Mr W. A. Yeitch, M.P. for Wanganui, to move his notice of motion calling for “a return showing the total number of freeliolders, the total area, and tho. total unimproved value of the laui held by them in each, of the four following classes;—(a) Under' £SOO unimproved value; (b) from £SOO to £SOOO unimproved value; (c) from £SOOO to £50,000 unimproved value; and (d) over £50,000 unimproved value, in town and country respectively ” When pressed by Mr Yeitch to say whe-thcr tliexo was any particular reason why the return should not bo granted, Mr Massey replied, "Tho Department informs me that it cannot be given at present.” “Docs the Prime Minister object to its being ordered?” thereupon asked Mr Yeitch; and the reply was, “I want to know the cost first. Sometimes these things are very costly.” We can well believe that such a return migjit prove very costly indeed; and that in more ways than one. But, tii at the return could, be “very costly” to prepare, we flatly do not believe. In the first place, £SOO unimproved, value is tho limit under which lauded estates are exempt from land tax; in tho second place, £SOOO unimproved value ;s the limit above which ('states become subject to graduated land tax; and, in the third place,, the number of estates above £50,000 unimproved value is not very great. The Land Tax and tire Land Valuation Departments must, surely, have already in black and white, and very readily accessible, .the number, the total area, and the total value of tho estates under £SOO unimproved value, and the same details with regard to the estates from £SOO to £SOOO, and those above £SOOO unimproved value; while to total up similar particulars for the estates a,hove £50,000 unimproved value would not take the proverbial fourth form schoolboy more than a very few minutes. But we can well believe that such a return, showing up how much of New Zealand is held by how few of the population, might, by way of increased land tax, designed to break np their overgrown estates and provide land at reasonable prices for soldier-settlers and others, prove very costly indeed to tho big land monopolists. We can well believe, too, that such a return, produced on the eve of the general election, would prove very costly in TO tes to tho Land Monopolist party. Hence, no doubt, the Prime Minister’s determined opposition to Mr Yciteh’s motion. We note with interest that in 1917 a similar return was, at the instance* of Mr Yeitch, ordered by the House. But, as soon as the Prime Minister found it "was loaded for bear,” as our American cousins would say, be put difficulties in the way, and it was never presented to Parliament.