LABOUR ASPIRANT

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22151, 24 September 1943, Page 6

LABOUR ASPIRANT

LAND TENURE QUESTION Lan<} settlement and rehabilitation were among the subjects discussed by Mr C. Croall, the Labour aspirant for the Waikato seat, during an address in the Te Awamutu Town Hall. The Mayor, Mr L. G. Armstrong, presided over the meeting. Mr Croall expressed appreciation of Mr W. S. Goosman’s action in cancelling his meeting at the Empire Theatre on Wednesday night, when he learned on his return from Wellington that Mr Croall had arranged to speak at Te Awamutu on that night. Discussing the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act, Mr Croall said he believed that the freehold of the land should belong collectively to the nation, but the question of tenure was not mentioned in the Act. Already over 100 returned men had been settled on freehold farms. Any man had the right to negotiate for a farm by private treaty with the owner, and if the price were right the money was provided by the State Advances Corporation. In the case of land acquired by the State under the compulsory clause, a 33 years’ renewable lease would be given. Finance and assistance would be available up to 10 years after the war ended, and Labour would give every man a chance to take up land if he so desired. Dairy Industry Assisted Dealing with the dairy industry, Mr Croall said the Government had agreed to take costs right back to the 1938-39 level. An entirely new opportunity for the benefit of the farmers was established on the undertaking that if the workers received an increase in wages because cf the cost of living the farmer also would receive an adjustment in price. In point of fact, said the speaker, subsidies had already been used extensively to protect farmers against cost increases. For instance, a subsidy of £1,000.000 had been granted in the case of superphosphate and altogether the farmers had received benefits amounting to over £2,000,000 in subsidies. A motion of thanks and confidence in Mr Croall and the Labour Government was carried unanimously on the motion of Mr A. G. Laloli.