THE LAND BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2078, 13 May 1907, Page 4

THE LAND BILL.

THE ACTING-PREMIER'S VIEWS.

Following is tlie Christchurch Press’ report of tho Acting-Pro-ntiar’s remarks on the Land Bill in his spoocli at Timaru on May 3rd: ’there wore three points in tho Land Bill (1) tlio endowment, (2) alteration .of tho existing l'"', mainly for tho benefit of tho ex. ng to* l ' ants, (3) limitation of areas. At Now Plymouth tho other day the Loador of tho Opposition said that tho policy ‘measures of tho Government emanated from tho Opposition. (Laughter.) Mr. Massey was like Bill Adams, who talked so much about tho battle of Waterloo that ho jat last came to think ho took part in that battle and won it. In saying that tho Government policy emanated from.the Opposition, Mr Massoy undoubtedly indicated that ho was a political Bill Adams. (Laughter.) In 1890 ho (Mr. Hall-Jones) suggested tho acquisition of largo estates for settlement. Ho said the Leader of the Opposition had opposed tho workers’ homos proposal, as carried out by tho Government. The Govornmont did not got any liolp from tho Opposition in carrying out tho old ago pensions scheme. Tho Opposition party stonewalled it for days, and so helped to injure tho health of a man who had dono more for New Zealand than any mail up to tho present time. Tho Opposition did not help tho Government in its land for sottlomont scheme. It was about tho coolest thing ho had heard that Mr. Massey should have made tho claims ho had done. The Leader of tho Opposition’s claims were refuted by the records of Hansard.-

Tlie Acting-Premier went on to refer to tlie limited area of first and second class land in the colony, and tho importance - Hnd necessity of closer settlement. Now that Mr, Massey was finding that the farmers did not like the idea of a graduated tan dtax, ho was “hedging.” Mr. Massey said that the Land Committee had improved tlie Land Pill, when that Committee had given Mr iMcNab five times the area of endowments he had asked for in his Bill. Mr. Hall-Jonos quoted figures to show the great number of persons who applied for land who-were unable to get sections. this stage Mr. Hall-Jones referred his liearors to what a gentleman who was respected throughout Canterbury and all New Zealand had said on this land question many

years ago. He referred to tlie late Hon. W. Rolleston, and would read that gentleman's own words as they ajipear in Hansard, vol. 42, page 512. They were as follows: —“I am anxious about this system. X may say we have already in the education and other reserves an example which we may do well ill the interests of the State to follow up in the way in which this Bill will enable the State to follow it up. We now, as a. country, have gone into heavy liabilities, and I say that, as wise men, in dealing with this largo estate wo should make some provision to rolieve us of some part of the taxation which is surely coming upon ns. Iu proposing this leasing system, I have not only the interests of the Settlers at heart—although I believe I have fully considered that —but I wish to see such a system established of doaling with the waste lands of the colony that hereafter whatever fluctuations and hard times and difficulties arising from our heavy indebtedness come upon us, tho colony may be placed jji_ such a position that there may bo something to fall back upon in respect to funds to carry out the great objects the State has to deal with, such as its schools, its hospitals, its charitable institutions generally, its harbors if you will, and other objects of local concern. I say if wo go wisely to work with this system we shall socuro that most effectually. In tho future that is the interest I wish to see the State have in these lands. You may call it nationalising the land, or by whatever name you like, but I say that the proposal is to deal with our lands largely in the interests of the State as well as the individual, which as practical men we should do.” It was evident, Mr Hall-Jones said, that the late Hon. W. Rolleston, when he occupied the position of Minister of Bands, did not believe in selling the lands which belonged to the people, but lie did believe in leasing them so that the people of the colony would derive the greatest benefit from them., And to-day they had the Leader of the Opposition referring *to the Government on account of this Bill as land nationalisers and single taxers. But they were neither one nor tho other, and they were simply doing what they believed to be best in the interests of the people as a whole. The land belonged not to the Government, but to the people of New Zealand, and the Government believed they were doing the best thing by letting the land out on lease. (Hear, hear.) By dealing thus with it they derived an immense revenue, which would help them to carry on such institutions as their hospitals, charitable and old age pensions, etc. The taxpayers would be relieved to a very material extent. Was not this the commonsense course to adopt?! He claimed that it was, and ventured to say that the great majority of the people of the colony thought likewise. (Applause.) As time went on, the cost of old ago ponsions would be mounting up, and increased demands were continually being made for increased grants for educational purposes. They knew what Would happen if tho Opposition got into power. They would give tho freehold, aiid in so doing would so undermine the financial basis of tho old age ponsions that these would cither cease or suffer a reduction, and then tlio Opposition would turn round and say, f'AVe told you so; we always said that they would break down.” The people of the colony would remember how education suffered at the hands of tho Opposition when they came into power, and hard times came upon them, .Hard timos would always come upon thorn whenever they were iu power. Tho Minister spoke of the old age pensions as money to which the recipients were just as much entitled as his relatives would be to his life insurance money supposing anything were to happen to him. Tho pensioners had paid for their pensions through the Customs tariff, and wore entitled to all they were receiving. Ho claimed that it would be wrong ga (he part of the Government if they did not make provision, while it was possible to do so, for securing a continuance of the sey the other evening that he wanted to see every man with the freehold, but where was it 1 to come from ? Was the Government to make no provision for those who came after us? Land had been sold in the past, and where were the proceeds to-day? Gone! If they ’wanted an object lesson in regard to the value of endowments they had it in Canterbury and Otago. He read the other day that Canterbury College had £14,000 per annum coining in from endowments, and what, he asked, would be

said if it was now proposed to sell endowments whioli produced such a revenue? They said the same thing in connection with municipal reserves, which were saving the ratepay-

ers considerable sums in taxation. Again, it had been said that if the State offered to lease lands for G 6 years, with the right of renewal for a similar period, they would get no ono to take them on, because the lease would be too short. Such nonsense as this he had never heard before from a man professing to be a

politician. l Ho know moil who had lnluch' sliortor leases than this, and thoy woro doing woll. And tho cost of oducation increased by something JjLko £200,000 last year., yet tho cry still caino for more money for technical education and appliances. Thou there wore our hospitals, which must bo properly equipped and maintained to provide for an increasing population, and tho old age pensions should bo strengthened as much as possiblo. This could bo done by sotting asido endowments, but it could not bo done if they woro going to part with tho freehold. It had been suggested that the £15,000 limitation to tho Land, Bill was too small, and some spoke about the injury likely to be done to tho mortgagee or mortgagor, but tho Government intended to injure no mail. If those who had fault to find would mako representations and suggestions in the proper quarter, they would rocoivo ovory consideration at the hands of tho Government. Ho had received a communication that night from the Farmers’ Union at Hawora suggesting that tho freehold dl : Native lands should 1)0 given to those who had entered into leases for them. He would say that oxisting contracts would in no way bo interfered with. Thoso who had leases-in-porpotuity would not be disturbed. Where they had- contracts for the freehold of leases, it was tho duty of every honest man to soo that they wore maintained. (Applause.) The Government had hoped to settle tho Native Land Question many yoars ago with the aid of the Maori Councils, but in many cases these councils had been dilatory, but through the commission now sitting, thousands of acres would bo thrown open to the people. (Hear, hear.) The Minister went on to say that tho legislation next year - would consist largely of matters pertaining to tho land. There would bo the Land Bill to be dealt with. Under wliat was called the renewable loaso it would be open for holders of leases for 999 years to surrender it'liom and take up a fresh lease for 6G years, with the right of renewal for a similar period, the object of the surrender being to secure adjustments where these were necessary. At' Pomaliaka, he believed, some such. adjustments were necessary. Then there would bo an Endowment Bill, which would probably bo a separate measure. The lato Premier had been a strong advocate of endowments for the purposes above mentioned, and the late Mr Rolleston had also advocated them 25 years ago. The question of the limitation of estates would be given most careful, consideration, and if the country got ail increased graduated land tax they would be able to thank the Opposition for it. Another matter to come before Parliament in a few months would be the question of further reductions in the Customs tariff. Through reductions in this direction in tho past tho people of the colony had been saved very largo amounts, but he thought that still more should be dono in this direction, so as to make it as easy as possible for the Jvorkei’s to live. In 1888 the Customs duties had been increased one per cent., and tho deduction of this again had been one of the pleasantest things connected with his political life. Although tho present Government had dono so much, they wanted to do still more in order to give the worker a free breakfast table. (Applause.) Some of our local industries had not been progressing as thoy should do, and tho Government believed they could render some assistance to place them on a better footing.. If thoy could they certainly would do so. (Hear, hear.)