LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1286, 12 July 1886, Page 2

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

The following is the Hansard report of Mr 1 vess’a speech, delivered ia the House of Representatives on June IS, in support of the Land for Settlement Bill :

Mr I vess. —1 ;i rising to support this B 11 I would as/ that I recognize in it « plan by which . qual justice may be done to all classes without inflicting injury on any individual. It ia a subject of the great si import .mco to the country, and long after the t tntf has ceased to be of interest, and lo ig after our manufactures shall have acquired perfection and stability, this question will remain a <*eep and enduring interest, not only In the House, but in the country. In New Zealand there is ample land to found an empire if it were properly distributed : but, inasmuch as large blocks of Isnd passed in the early days into the hands of few individuals, and as 1 think that the owners thereof, in their desire to grasp too much, became

involved in struggles to pay interest, they will look forward with no small degree of satisfaction to t a operation of this Bill.

lam quite sure it will open to them an avenue by which they can extrloa e themsalvesfrom their difficulties, and through It the greater prosperity of the colony will be assured. I venture to remark that, if a Bdl of this character had beeu submitted to the Housefiveyears ago, fewof us would have been inclined to give it serious consideration. But, I ask, how many of ns have not changed in that period 1 What order of Government, what order of human society, does not require

change I I hold that the time is rapidly advancing when the subject of this Bill will occupy the moat serious attention of the country. It is not my intention, and it is not my aim, to seek to unduly influence the mind of any honorable gentleman by any remarks I make on the question, but I say it is the duty of members of this House to instruct the country outside on largo principles such as this, and it is by ventilating questions of this nature that moat useful information can be given to those ontaide. The agricultural industry in New Zealand is one of paramount importance, and the serious check which it haa sustained during the past three years by the fa'l in the value of wool and grain haa eo crippled that industry that any attempt at alleviating or reducing the burdens of those engaged in it will be hailed with satisfaction. And I hold that this Bill aims and strikes at the very root of the evil by having for its object the reduction of the rate of interest which farmers are now compelled to pay. 1 hold that the Government and the people owe an allegiance to etch other, and that whatever may aff.ct the welfare of the people should bo studied by the Government in their desire to promote the prosperity of the country. Assuming that the cuplication of our population is effected in terms of twenhyfive years, I hold that the demand for land will be doubled within that period, end that, although we now experience very great difficulty in s-deoting land, the evil will be enormously intensified twenty-five years hence. I have frequently been asked in various parts of the country for advice and information by individuals anxious to settle on the soil, and who have inquired foe land without success at the Laud Offices, and have sought in vain at other places to get Information ; and therefore, knowing that there is a demand for land which cannot now be satisfied, I hold;that it is a duty of the utmost Importance to this House to do all that lies in its power to liberalize and simplify our land-laws in the best possible way. Otherwise, all the evils which were caused in Spain by the granting of large blocks of land to individuals, who freqmntly sank under the weight of inoumberances on them, and often died ia poverty, are almost certain to be repeated In this country. To escape that, we must adopt some such mdthoi as is proposed in this Bill. With the records of the sad experience of the past before it, I think this House will sympathize with those who are desirous of settling on the soil of New i Zealand, and who cannot now get land. Thera are many great advantages that may be secure I to this colony by perfecting our land system. We have, as I have stated, ample land to found an empire if that land were properly distributed and if what is now a wilderness were settled. I believe that by adopting the principle of this Bill colonization might be rapidly promoted, large areas of country new uninhabited by human beings could be made to teem with people, more towns and villages would be built, the price of labor would be sustained, and the possibility of obtaining land at a moderate prico would remove the temptation to emigra e from parts of the colony where labor ia badly remunerated. I need hardly describe the position which agriculture has attained in this country. Here we have natural resources, and plenty of room for a prosperous agricultural population. I know that in my varied experience In different parts of this colony I have been able to watch the progress of agricultural districts with no small amount of satisfaction. I have seen the sturdy farmer pitch on his land and content himself with a rede log-hut until such times as, through hla energy, perseverance, and frugality, he has able to replace it by a substantial brick or stone hous >. Who would attempt to deny to our farmers untiring industry and energy ? They are the very stamp of men this colony requires j and what other colony can boast of such an excellent agricultural population as'we have ? I have always held that land should be offered lo persons la moderate o r> — ' J ' -nd that that would tend to r’.o -- impro-

| vement of the country, Here iu New Zealand we have vast tracts of land lying waste, ' and yet we have many who desire but cannot get land. Sir, I think it was ’ Edmund Burke who orca said England I had too little land and too many people, but I think we might reverse that as to New Zealand, and say that we have too | few people and too much land. What we most urgently want is to devise some 1 means of multiplying our people and distributing onr land among them I have taken the trouble to compile a little table, which I trust J shall not weary the House by reading, because I think it will show what is capable of being d,on,e with the land we have in the polony und.er the system proposed by the Bill which the honorable member for Auckland East has introduced. I say ha deserves the thanks of this House and of the country for the labor he has bestowed upon the measure. I hold It is a workable BUI, and that if ft is adopted it will tend greatly to promote our prosperity. By the adoption of the Bill I will show you what relief will be extended to the agriculturists of New Zealand. I hold in my hand figures setting forth the cost of management of a 200-acre farm if worked by the owner, and with the aid of his own labor, under the Bill now before the House, showing what 50 acres of land laid down in wheat will yield, and what IbO amps depastured by sheep will also yield, Ido not myself profess to be a practical agriculturist, but these figures are supplied by a gentleman who ia largely interested In the agricultural industry in Canterbury, and his figures may be relied upon. The following is au estimate showing the return that a farm containing an area of 200 acres will yield to the owne* yearly— ( 150 in grass and 50 in crop ;

Wheat. £ s. d. Yield from 50 acres, average 30 bujh,sls to the acre, at 2s 9d per bushel .. ~ .. .. 206 5 0 Sheet. Produced wool from 450 sheep, depastured on 150 acres, each acre carrying 3 sheep, at|4s 6d per sheep .. .. .. 101 5 0 Increase from 150 sheep .. . • 37 10 0 Total income £315 0 0 J

I From the above illustration it will be seen that a man who ia disposed to work a farm with his own hands, can Det at least £l3l 17s 6d. per year, and daring a good part of the year he conld supplement the income from his farm by working for his ne'ghbonrS; as the management of his own farm wonld not absorb the whole of his time, Bis position would be this : Assuming that the value of the land, which wonld be capable of yielding 30 bushels of wheat to the acre, to be worth £8 per acre, it wouldjgive a total valne of £I6OO which at 5 per cent interest, wonld come to £BO per annum. New, under i-aastfog circumstances I think it wilt be freely admitted by honourable members that land averaging in price £3 par acre can secure an advance of money at less than 8 per cent. Therefore I hold that £l2B per year is paid now in the way of interest, and at the end of three years there is a demand for a reexecutlon of the mortgage, for which a Bum of twenty or twenty-one guineas would be demanded for legal expenses. Any gentleman having experience in these mtters will admit that that is the usual sum. Therefore my summing np ia this : that under existing circumstances we have to pay £l2B per year interest and £7 a year for legal expensss Under the proposed system we thall be only called upon to pay £BO a year, and shall save £7 le,'al expenpes ; thereby showing a cVar savin? on 200 acres of £55 per year. I thiok these figures are indieputaSle. I challenge any gentleman having experience in the working of a farm to dispate these figures If we can save £65 a year to an agriculturist working a farm of 200 acre*, it ii our bounden duty to do so. The complaint in this coun'ry is that our lands are not sold fast enough. In America, for 850 a man can command forty acres, ai>d for less than a year's wages be can command eighty acres of land. I have always semted the idea that our public lands should be held for revenue purposes, as I hold that by placing selectors upon them and making them consumers, we real<z9 larger sams in the way of duty and other charges secured fnrn them than from ihi ema'l sums we ■my real ze for the lied. 1 hold that, if the price is reduced and greater facilities given to the people to settle on the land, flourishing townships will start, up and the country will become generally prosperous It will be otherwise if our public lands are doled out with a sparing, grudging hand. Whatever may be the fate of this Bill, I trust the c >untry will direct Us attention to it.andalthoug it may possibly not get beyond the second reading this session, the country will, at all events, have an opportunity of discussing its various provisions. In the event of the Bill hading its way into Committee it its my Intention to move for the insertion of a new clause whereby any agriclturist or farmer may be permitted to bring his land order the provisions of this Bill. Otherwise I feel quite sure that, as time goes on, and we recover from the depreseion which has overtaken us, there will be less likelihood of large holders coming under Its provisions The provision to take land at the property tax valuation with 10 per cent, added is perhaps not altogether a wise one, because there are mmy holders of property who are inclined *o value their land »t rather too small a sum in order to escape the due amount of taxation imposed under the property tax. However, that might work rather oppressively against the holder. Ko matter in what manner we may classify our land, there will sone be some diversity in that claesi6catlon, because, if land is situated in favoured localities or in localities which are served by railways and roads, of course, land Laving frontage on those roads or adjacent to railways would have ! a higher value than lands in backward position. Therefore I hold that the best method wonld be so take the land under the Public Works Act, or appoint a Board of Valuators to assess the value tf the land, and pay to the proprietors wl at it is worth- lam one of those who do not believe in confiscation. I be'.ieye that every person who has acquired land is entitled to be protected in the full enjojment of It - and if he has held on end struggled against bad times, when these times improve he should reap the advantage of it. It grieves me, and it rorks in at oppressively against the advancement of the countTy, to find huge blocks of Native land passing into the hands of one or two individuals. Tbe other day I read a paragraph in the Hawke's Bay Herald that one G. F G. Richardson had passed through the .Native Land Court something like thirty thousand acres. It is not the honourable member for Mataura who is there referred to. but I believe that the Mr \ Richardson I allude to is an old settler, and is closely allied, if not related, to an honourable member of this House. Mr Ballance —That is only a bagatelle. Sir tvess.—Fancy that quantity of land passing into the hands of 6ns individual J There must be some fault in our legislation, or we are not able to protect the Natives and the colonists of this country against snch a gross act of monopoly as is disclosed by that case, because, depend upon it, before many years have passed away we shall have to pay handsomely if we require that land for the promotion of settlement. There is one important proposition in this Bill, giving power to local bodies to make reoom> mendatlons to the Government to purchase certain blocks of land. I think that is a very wise one. Any local body can recommend blocks to be purchased which, in their opinion, would be of advantage to the district, but which is withheld from cultivation or any useful purpose so thsj; they may acquire an enhanced value by the lapse of years. I hold that would be a guide to the Government, and the local Dody would be the best judge of what land *as best adapted for settlement. The government are not compelled, as I mderstsad, to adopt that recommendation ; tut it would, &t all events, be a guide : and if the local body found it to the interest of their district to make such a reccommendation, ne doubt the Government would give it consideration. I should prefer to see the period fixed when 1 the purchase price would be payable on i' .s i debent'ii' 'a. f look upon the me*r sure as tentative, and I believe that If Wf give it a trial by the purchase of so many acres per year, we will find that it wif|

ta t idly recommend itself to colonists, and that the srea of settlement will greatly extend annually. lam rather p eased to see the proposition for the advsi.ce > I money to holders for the building of home- eads. I think that a very wise provision. It will be an encouragement to persons t< build houses, to plant orchards, to fence and improve the land. All this wi 1 tend to help on the pregress of the c' uatry In looking over the figures <■* the Registrar-General the other day, I came across Information which was rather startling in Its character as to the manner in which our lands are he d by private individuals. 1 always recognise*the fact that figures are dry things to deal with ; but the figures 1 wish to quote will enlighten the country and show the monopolizing tendency of a few individuals in this colony. It will be seen torn the following figures how a few persons hold large tracts of country : 14,766 persons own 5 acres and under XuO acres. 14,267 ” 100 ” hWW „ 1,404 ” 1,000 ” 10.000 324 ’• 10,000 ” 50.0U0 2S ” 50,000 acres and over. If these estates could only be cat up and settled upon, the agricultural population of the colony would be largely increased, and the strain to meet the interest upon the money borrowed by the holders of these large tracts would be eased and appreciably felt by all classes of the community. I think that is alarming, taking into consideration the state of our population. It will be seen, on looking at the figures, that the indebtedness on mortgage in this colony to foreign creditors is £15,018,904, while the mor

gages to foreign capital amnnst to £14,997,557 ; in all, £30,016,461. To that has to be added the deb‘a of pe'eons

In the colony exclusive of mortgages, £14,540,000. And then look at the tendency of our property tax. In there were 25,460 taxpayers under

the property tax. The amonnt of real property in the colony was £44.810,000, the personal property, £40,190 000 —In all £85,000,000 ; which at |d in the pound gave ns £265,675. Now, it will be borne in mind in this House, that any legislation which wo adopt for the promotion of the agricultural interest must have a corresponding effect upon the revenues of this colony. The more agriculturists we can plant upon the soil the more consumers wi&we secure to contribute to the revenue of the colony, and we shall thereby swell the revenue arising from the property tax, which is now forming the most substantial item ia our colonial revenue. I trust that the House will

give this matter its most serious consideration. When this scheme was first pro-

pounded by the honorable member for Auckland East,.! was, I confess, one of those members who did not pay much attention to it, because I noted one or two defects, which I must say have since

been remedied. There was, for instance, an absence of finality about the debentures. There was no time when they should bo made redeemable, and it seemed to be proposed that they should go on for all time. lam glad, however, to see that the honorable member has introduced

a clause this time w'hereby the debentures are to have a fixed currency of twenty-five years. In conclusion 1 would say that there has been no Bill introduced to this

Bouse which if passed would be hailed with greater satisfaction by the coloni.sts of New Zealand than this Bill, and I feel

sure that it will be received with ao

elamation by the whole people, and be

transmitted as a sacred and inestimable

succession to posterity for its benefit and blessing for all ages.

THE ASHBBKTON ttUAJtCDJLAN, MONDAY, JULY 12, 1886 - . qpaaama. DAILY MEMORANDA, AUCTION SALES, Monday, JutT 12. Messrs Matson, Cox and Co, at Chertsey —Furniture, Live and Deadstock, etc MesRrs Miles and Co, at the Chertsey Saleyards— i?heep MEETINGS, AMUSEMENTS . Etc. Monday, July 12 Borongh Council, at Borough Gotmoll Chamber* at 7.30 L.O.L.—Annual Dinner at the Royal Hotel at 8 o'clock Friday, August 6. Artiburton County Council—At Council CHambers, 11 a.m. _ Victoria House. SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. "VTOW SHOWING, a Splendid Usortmont of tho f.r.'.n " LION " brand 1\ (Vic*Jr-'.-r) GOODS, in Wen's Plain and rVioy IVeal Suits, Trousers, Trousers and Vents, Waterproof and Overcoats, O >rd Ki.ii.n> Pants, Printed and White Moles, Boy's Knioker and Heacotioneld Sac et;., otc These Goo Is, amounting in value to over £400, ».re Jlaou''.»ctiKor<j' Samples,out and finished in the moat perfect atyK Purohasel »u h-i-.y D.wiant, and are offered at a slight advance u >on MKLB >UttNK Wit >LB M',1 P HOBS. Our Stock of General Draparv. Soots, «t,o., 1< u-i< ;-p .«■<••, • : ■. Value. DIMANT AND COE, DRAPERS, CLOTH1SRS, & BO >T 1 MPO.tl'tfUS, Ka .Streets, Aehbtirton Victorian Steam Carriage Works. J. R. STEEL & SON TTTISH to Intimate to the Public of Ashburton and surrounding districts that, Y» having obtained STEAM POWER and other Maohlnery requisite for the carrying on their work efficiently, are novr iu a position to meet the demands of the public with a fir i -class article at prices to suit the times. Every e. Option of Carriages and Traps made, Painted and Repaired. Spring Traps from £20. Whltoctmpels from £25. Buggies from £30, P. S.—Special attention paid to Repainting and Retrlmmlng. VICTORIAN STEAM IRON WORKS AND ** •*-. »t -r* t-» ik t o u r» 1? t kt r* I? n o r 17 ASHBURTON COUKTY COUNCIL Yesterday morning the members of the J Ashburton Orange Lodge, to the number of RABBIT NUISANCE, about fifty, assembled at the Orange Hall and marched in procession to the Presbtyerian \T 0TICE is hereh y R ,Ten tbat the Church, where an appropriate sermon was 131 Sheep and Rabbit Inspector having dolivere d by the Bev Mr Stewart, of South reportel that tl. rabolts In this county connection are on the increase, owners of property "»*«*"» ," uuu " , ?,, . .. « i are notified that the Rabbit Act will be with the Lodge will be held at the Royal strictly enforced by the Inspector unless Hotel this evening, immediate stepB are taken to doatroy the i< na fourth annual football match between E eB i; . . , , , „ , teams representing Christ's College and The attention of landowners Is called T . ,. TT . . „ . . . . „„ • fiu v : 0 t ,,,,„. , f ,, ,, .... Dunedin High School took place in Christto the following chuses of the Rabbit e * , ct . " ohurch on Saturday. The representatives ot Clause No. 8.—Any Inspector may I the High School won by 13 points to nil. serve or caused to he aerved upon any The ordinary £ ortn ightly meeting of the one or more of the owners of any private , ,, , ,, , „ ., .„ , . ,« f , •„ land on which he believes there are Ashburton Borough Council will be held this rabbits, a notice in writing in the form or evening. to the effect set forth in schedule A, A meeting of tho Committee of the Tradeshereto requiring the immediate deBtruc- men - s Racing Club will be held at the Comtlon of the rabbits on such land. mercial Hotel thia evening . Clause 9.—If immediately upon the service of such notice Buch ouo or more A meeting of the Mount Somers Iresbyof the owners uron whom the same is terian Churoh Committee was held on Wed. served do not commenoe to do all such nesday last, Mr C. Buechler in the chair. It actB, deeds, matters, and things as in the wa9 re8 olvod tbat tho Chairman should issue opinion of the Inspector may be necessary oireular3 inviting the members of the congre. to destroy the rabbits on the land men- contr ibute towards the Church tloned In such notice In the shortest time ° , , ... . . t . . „ • , „„ . m possible, and having so commenced do not Fund b y either of the fallowing plans :-(l) continue such action until such rabbits are By quarterly or half-yearly subscriptions, as destroyed, each of the owners upon whom heretofore. (2) By fortnightly contributions, such notice has been served shall be enoloaed Jin envelopes, and oollected after liable to a penalty of not less than one oaoa 8erv i oe . The Committee expressed pound nor more that twenty pounds. thom8e i veB in favor of the latter plan. A LONGBEACH ROAD BOARD. «, The ordinary monthly meeting of the Longhead) Ro wi Board was held at the Board's ofiiie, Longbeach, on Friday Piesent —Messrs Grigs; (Chairman), S. S. Chapman, J. Williams, J. Davies, and J. Bishop. COl'.RESrONDKNCE. •The following correspondence was read .—(1) From tho Ashburton County Council, enclosing plans, <y.c., of the proposed Irrigation scheme for distribution — (2) From tho N Z. Railway League, enclosing of petition to Parliament praying for railway reform, especially for a commission to examine into Mr Vaile's scheme Received. — Qi) From Mr Ilayman, asking for an increased price for his contract f»r forming Terrace road, owing to having to repair tha road Neverul times on account of floods. Resolved — •' That the Board cannot depart from its custom by making an increase in contract price, especially as the contract might have been completed during the autumn." —(4) From Messrs Wills, Wheeler, and others, drawing tho Board's attention to the state of water, race ford opposite Mr Frampton's, to the advisableness of metalline tho road at that point, and asking for an outlet from Mr Chapman's drain into the County Council drain, in order to relieve the road Mr Wills interviewed the Board in support of the petition, and it was mutually agreed that Mr w:i!„ ;« „„,.-;,,n,.f,™ _,;*), m» cu~„^ n r, LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. I —,., ♦ j The following i3 th<< Hansard report of 1 Mr 1 vest's speech, delivered in the House 1 of Representatives on June 18, in support of the Land for Settlement Bill :— Mr Ivess. --l.i rising to supp >rt this B 11 I would 88/ that I recognize in it a plan by which . qual justice may b<s done to all classes without, inflicting ioj iry on any individual. It ia a sabjecc of the great at Import .viicb to the country, and long after the t vriff has ceased to be of interest, and lo ig after our manufactures ahull have acquied perfection and stability, this question w;ll remain a <*eep atid ecduriug interest, not only in the House, but in the country. In New Zealand there Is ample land to found an empire if it were properly distributed : but, inasmuch as larg.) blocks of land passed in the early day3 into the hands of few individuals, and as I think that the owners thereof, in their desire to granp too much, became involved in struggles to pay interest, they will look forward with no small degree of satisfaction to t e operation of this Bill. 1 am quite sure it will open to them an avenue by which they can extrloa e them1 salvesfrom their difficulties, and through It the greater prosperity of the colony will be assured. I venture to remark that, if a Bdl of this character had been submitted to the House five years ago, fewof us would have been inclined to give it serious consideration. But, I ask, how many ol as have not changed in that period DITDRB IN TBI WORKING OF A 200-ACBE Farm. £ s. d. Ploughing 50 acres at 6s per acre 15 0 0 Diso-harrowing, at Is 3d per acre 3 2 6 Two harrowings, at Is 6d per acre 3 15 0 Drilling, at Is per acre .. .. 2 10 0 Rolling, at Is per acre .. .. 2 10 0 Seed, at 4s per acre .. .. 10 0 0 Carting, stooking, and stacking, at 10s per acre .. .. .. 25 0 0 - Threshing, at 7s Cd per acre .. 18 15 0 Carting, at 2s 6d per acre .. 6 5 0 Grass-seed, at 5s per acre .. 12 10 0 Clover-seed, at 5s per aore .. 12 10 0 Sowing, at 6d per aore .. .. 15 0 Interest, 200 acres, £1600, at 5 per General expenses for year .. 20 0 0 Total expenditure 213 2 6 Profits on year's produce .. 131 17 6 £345 0 0 The following figures will show the respective returns which may be expected per acre from land laid down in grass or cropped:— Wheat, 30 bushels at 23 9d per £ s. d. Expenses per acre, as shown Profit per acre .. .,£173 Wool from 3 sheep to the aore, at £ s. d. Increase from 3 sheep to the acre 0 5 0 0 18 6 Expenses per acre .» .. 0 5 C Profit from shee per aore .. £0 13 6 RAILWAY TIME TABLE. Tkain Abbiye at Ashbubton—From Christand the North, at 10.15 a.m. (express), p.m., nd 7.10 p.m. From Timaru, 10.45 a.m. From Dunedin and South, 5.27 p.m. (express). From Mount Somers, 10.5 a.m. Teaks Leave Ashburton—For Christohurch and North, at 7.10 a.m., 10.55 a.m., and 5.37 p.m. (express). For Dunedin and South, 10.25 a.m. (express). For Timaru, 4-45 p.m. For Mount Somers, 5.5 p.m. THE ASHBURTON GUARDIAN. From and after the 30th June, 1886, the terms of Subscription to thia journal will be