THE LAND QUESTION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2666, 23 November 1909, Page 5

THE LAND QUESTION.

A LEASEHOLD PROTEST.

[Feu Press Association/] WELLINGTON, Nov. 22. Over a thousand leaseholders and sympathisers met in the Town Hall tonight to protest against the Government’s ' land . proposals. Mr W. T. Noot, President of the Wellington Trades and Labor Council, occupied the chair. He explained that the Council had called the meeting. >. ■, : . , , Mr D. McLaren, M.P., said that the people should be consulted on this most important question. The budget had never been before the people. The Government was in a tight position financially an? thought it easier to sell the country's lands than to face the position. He moved ‘.‘That before any legislation is passed sacrificing the people’s interest in the leasehold over existing Crown lands, or in lands settled under the Lands for Settlements Act, and before any more publicly owned land is sold, all the people of the Dominion should have tne opportunity of saying, bv means of a referendum vote, whether they are willing that the proposals now before Parliament shall become law or whether all existing Crown land shall remain the., property of the people and be dealt with under the leasehold' system, so that future increases in rental value shall be .available for the 'reduction 'of ‘the burdens of taxation. This meeting • further holds that to change existingleases into freehold would create a privilege, which is not in the-covenant entered into by the -lessees, and would give to- such lessees a decidedly unjust advantage over all other applicants for such land, by excluding the element of competition, whereby the real value of the land can only be arrived at. Mr A. W. Hogg. M.P., declared the Government’s land policy to be absolutely dishonest. ■ Every member of the Ministry which proposed it ought to_be brought before the Supreme Couft;:The next thing would be the disposal of the National endowment. ...... Mr T. Taylor, M.P., said; that gambling had been allowed to go on in State-owned farms, which had created a class of rack-rented tenants, lr there was any gambling to be done by the re-sale of the farms, the State should benefit. He protested against the sale of a single acre of ( Crown lands. The land proposals of the budget, he said, really obliterated party lm Tlie motion was carried with but two dissentients.