WANTED-A VIGOROUS LAND POLICY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 646, 25 October 1909, Page 3

WANTED-A VIGOROUS LAND POLICY.

: wuntry fn p ®?f i '$• : .i»?oldtion 'of 20^or 30OMm ®f p P° rt ' i.-PCToto inhabitants;- 1 Ttan *!<*• poverty and want wAS '5, ' V 0: find . ..I?nmbere of the DODukSnn the land? •. ...Hm stores,.'. att a :^°iJ aTB ' leavin ß ■:-:tf °f fhe remainder" •rorka! ■ The posi it f'P' o^'1 011 ' relief : ' - to .call into «ewo„»M(. enough , statesmanship nossf««/I K . rc«rveg of : riotisrin of- ea<& .indivWiin? .pat. .' of pariy 'or inclinatta* f "respective' n thei.fdrmnlaiing: awl 1n?„ dt f ly assi f ' ■measures :a's~will*i>i,r. / ..'"S, "|to law such: ••;'• 1 =onditfon of the fi a ' ' ai l ;tho:co'antrv/.ur«ntlf.Sm;',. *'f °bvxoTls that r ■ to', our noDulatmn kh?" ' t ?' 4 ?# r gß'^eoes«ioii* smiwfats ? : ' • ?v» c -??' w ® out ' to •'• •;wSKteidlrs- .■ of:the-State l aid4.u^Sj^/fe I - : mdnt ,or become applicants for,Stato relief, can n - ag ? ; to Dominion; 1 The iti*s^s?capjfalisfc' witir noT>i ' otiltuijal; jnchiiatjji. ; TJnited " states of ton ll^^B- r0 r '".180--«clions';of .-. ■. farm lands, ;i6r>J jhph; tiey. received .W 000 declared capital; of one 'and ,v half : :MUMIi;.PSn^ reraiinerahTo proposition for !, t«t ?*rliament Itp'Rlnie to secnro ; ; Ha uiiMdMU opminj of all owr icato and unrjtaproT«d. Unda.atrespeohWe of ownoraMp. The '. V?' T ti*,c«untrj should compel .tie bolder ; 01. unito^ro7«dA S laadjs 4 'to improve his : *holdiss ; .to- a..MawaaWe oifceat,. or .to stand- aside, aud '; give placo ;to • those "that <aro' prepared- to. do, so. : -All. losses 'idf.' wasto'.of".i'orcst '.lands. should, : Witfaoflt .exception, contain a clause Riving • the ■tenant the/ right .'.to, acquire; the; fi'eohold. /At ; present; time the Government are': throwing ' <WJi- for., ,200.-'sniaU : sections. , :Tiiere;«hpnld;be. in, providing 2000 such .Baetiona, "and theyiwould.'M applied- for in'.this direction tho community vloofcSvfor .rolief. ' It vis, the' hug's ..... areas of Maiivo.and almiteo. unimproved land ..;thftt^we, standing:in fclw>wayiof .otfr '.progress. ; ; ithonsaii4': McU.oriß{pf. deccii,t : , land* una .then" sec;' if ■wo "require 'ho ,use: of iWorkeits , r to" ; 'ou'r ';,-'slwr«.'.' : « Parliameritii should ipasj- th6-noceasary

,'■' ! e f" lat 'on- for.-.tho..compulsory. acquirement'for' settlement.purposes af. all suitable- unimproved -~ lands,.-anti- in no nncer'taih voice "direct the :. 'Mecutivo-.to;immediately have-those-l'ands'prc' ... pared for settlement by :.a-.given.,dale,. giving ■ them.authority to float a .million-loan for the • '. 0 ? c . 1 '. 1 f,y o .I" ll of- survey.,au<l.reading.and i: f Preparing these lands' for' settlement'.' [. 1n..a1l probabnty the purchase could be ar- ». debfntn§; " of '. lon e- d^ d ;s : per, cc.it. > -, The, vigorous settlement. o r ]tho land' is V tho , "',„„„ bel i? ,!c l w , ™™™n of uuemployment in, surance that tho-Government can devise: A prosperous agricultural community necessarily ; nioaiisa corresponding activity and prosperity , m all branches ot trade. 'Utopian• iezMative i ; enactments for' tho relief of the improvideht, ; a base' of-borrowed capital,-must.'' - fail.; -Wo -have, millions of dormant capital-in our wnsto. lands. Then why.not utilise it.'. The applications for the To Akau.B'.ock.-should l?e , sUlncioat'evidence, of .the; over-increasing de- ; ; maud for freehold lands., Hero we find close on » ,vol , vo i , , un(lre d. for 29 sections of. land., ihe applioants. probably possessed of a - collcchvo capital of half a .'million -poundi, ,; who,,with the exception of:the sncicssfiil m'eft ■: m,-.- tiro,denied ,aii opportunity. of,:.utilising . their capita)-and labour in tho.best interests of :. .'tno'-.eoimtryi v;ho; ;e.wiug,-to :.the deplorable policy of land, administration;* are -forced --to :.: leave,the country,or remain-idle, seein," their ■; smallv.capita! gradually diminishing; .--in des- ;. peration'-sell.' up. -their,-homes and , leave the :' country.-,. This, is no exaggerated "'.picture, but' ...is a:daily,occurrence. : How'any,Qovernment : , can :bp. i-o"iiKano as to. deliberately".-juggle with 1 .such '.a: .vital. ' question Vas .'the'-' settlement'vm wasto.'lands is boyon-1 comprehension. We" have an .;Adtninistration.'whd. deliberately lock up :-' bur Waste, lands; who, by every.device in their power, :place obstacles in the .'way of settlers obtaining ,thp'idle''and ' waste' lands of ; .'tho Maori,, compelling itho: struggling .-.settler ''to .' either -Icave-.the .or: accept'butrageo.us :'. lea'schdld .conditions imposed, by'the Maori , Laiid- 'Boards."'. The Government .denounce-the .European land-oiY.ners as a pest'and-parasite;. l f et [ we"'find them :stienudusl,v'.'hssistjng": the, aboriginals to, build up a; huge- Native; land.lordry. The" white', man at least pays'for . the labour-.that-is...required: to bring, the; : wjisto, laiids 'into'-cultivation, bht'-the Maori' • :has an easier-method. I .He gets his bonded slave . in. the,'person of-the struggling'6ettler 'to pay him: a' stiff 'rent-for .the' privilege .of being allowed: to- improve the Native holding.: What ■ of;.statesma.nsliip.can.we:Call..this? "How. much.; longer.."will the' country- have-to ; ..wait :fp£;ft- : vigorous -and. progreisivo; land set' • tlement policy?': Is it : to be'a question of 'years or"• of months?.. This .question., is..worthy to take.preccdchce of labour. Bills,. unemployment insurance,, national'..-pensions',..'- and,, all ..other red-herring legislation.—l-am; etc.,;-.,':>';;; - , .:;.;,;- ."-':.■:'•:.••'■".- -land-seekek.;: i-t'lSth October, 1909.;■-; : : /. : .'.:'.••;ji*,- '■';'. ',* [Portions .of ;this. : , letter have been omitted' • owing, to its excessivo length,] -'.'''.';'-' ;', .: , : , : ' ; . ' , ; : " ; ■ ; . ' . ! ' . . :