THE LAND COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 45, 22 February 1905, Page 3

THE LAND COMMISSION.

SITTINGS OPENTED AT TXVERC&RGILL. FREEHOLD "WITNESSES. THE LIMITATION OF HOLDINGS. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") INVERCAEGILL, Tuesday. Developments at the first sitting of the Land Commission here have caused some surprise locally. It -was g-enerally expected that there would be some very decided speaking, and that keen interest would be shown. As it was. however, the proceedings were dull and comparatively little attention was paid. Of the fire witnesses called to-day four were advocates of freehold tenure within, various limits, and the fifth was a believer in the leasehold system, although owner cf freehold land. To-morrow the Commission meet and examine members of the Land Board. In regard to the comparative lack of interest in the proceedings. Commissioner J. M. Johnston suggested this afternoon that if tKey did not come forward spontaneously the settlers .should be approached by the Commission, so that all the information possible misrht be obtained. The chairman intimated his intention of having a list drawn up of representative settlers from the different settlements.

The principal witness was John McQueen, manager of the Southland Frozen Meat Co. He was a strong frpeholder, and thought all leases, oven of education board or other reserves should have a pnreiiasins clause. He thought that Crown tenants should not have representation on Land Boards, and believed that the deferred payment sysrtem, if rigidly adhered to, would have done immense good to the colony. The leaseholder with the right of purchase, or freeholder was the best settler. Owing to the rabbit nuisance and the graduated tax, large estates in Southland were being voluntarily cat up. The freehold would not cause the reaffsrresation of DO CJ these large estates.

Wm. 13. Soandrett. Mayor of Invereargill, said he had been a great number of years in the polony, but had never engaged in farming. So far as Invereargill was concerned they were satisfied with, the constitution of Land Boards. They had acted fairly towards tenants and State alike, and he did not think tlee benefits to be derived from an elective system vrould be worthe tfaia expense connected with it. l-sosklos, a :.rrpat many. would not vote, and the election wonid practically rest in the hands of the leaseholders. The lease in perpetuity system found general acceptance, and was practically as good as the freehold, for several generations at any nte. He thought tho rights of acquiring the freehold should be given to all tenants. As a land agent of some years' experience foe had found that people would not buy the leasehold if they could get freehold. He favoured the compulsory residence and ballot system. Under the ballot system people could pay their own way, and settlement was successful. Taking Southland as a whole the only improvement in value was that resulting from the work of the setfier on the land. The aggregation of large estates was ngainst the interests of the colony, though ho was not against a man increasing the size of his holding within reason. Questioned by the chairman, witness said that it was almost impossible to get loans on leaseholds on anything like the same terras as those current m regard to freehold. In further explanation of his views as to the increase o£ holdings witness said he •"bought it should be kept in bounds by the aggregation of progressive tjxation. Vdmitting that settlers had no particular right to the freehold he thought it wis-e for the State to give that right, and let people have the sentiment of freehold.

G. A. Hilton, market gardener, who has been in the colony for nearly 30 vrars, came to speak as a village homestead settler and also as a representative of a number of South TnvercnrjrH settlers. He was very decided in the opinion that there should be no indiscriminate grant of the freehold. In all cases he thought there should be a very stringent building clause. It was a

very easy tlirng to get a. loan en a municipal leasehold, but quite the other way about with a State leasehold. Witness, when seeking for a loan, had been told by a lender that he would have given him £ 200 on his "house had he had the right to the freehold, however remote.

Thos. Gibson, the bolder of 2f acres at Tisbrrry Seaward Bush, appeared to represent a number of settlers in his district who were hi favour of the freehold system. The "witness said that if the land in his district had been freehold the value would have increased. As it was it had not increased.

The Commission met again after luncheon adjounrrnk-nt. and waited till three o'clock, when a<> bo further witnesses came forward, they adjourned tfll nextday.