LAND PROPOSALS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 5

LAND PROPOSALS.

.' ■ " 'CEmCISM ; BY ME. MASSETT '/■ '■'■. '."So far .<w the, land proposals ■■'are concernad," remarked. Mr. Massey, Leader-of'the .Opposition, to a dominion reporter yesterday,' "lrnuet say V do- not consider tuo-siippoß?d concessions , as, being.' in; themselves of very much value. "What Tdo consider of import-' ance ie the admission by the Minister • of Finance,'-, who is. also Minister' for Lands, with regard , to the '■ leaso-in-perpeti!ity, that, 'the value of a reversion, postponed for 999 years is hot very, appreciable, even when the' State is the reversiouer,' • and also that' , 'the conditions as to limit 06 area and- occupation cau bo effectually'erifrguarded' even under a grant of the freehold.' .-'This'-is exactly what vie have* contended—that.the reversioiiary, interest df-tho' Stato iff a lease ' in>'perpetuity l :: is "practically ml, and thereforethat the State loses'nothing by giving the option of freehold to .the "settled, and that with.freehold tehurg there is no diffi.dulty'.in(providing forj:limitation, and'so-pre-' venting .reaggregation.'. '.'.,' ,-.■.".. ■ ; ■.;"■ . ••...'■ . ... "Moreover," 'continued Mr/ Massey ' ''it ''ia satisfactory .to: know-that a Land Bill is coming down, and if we get. the opportunity of dealing with it'either this session or next, I feel confident'that nve shall beable tomake unprovemerite.in the Land' Aot<which- will be of benefit both to the settler and the country, and it.is .very gratifying; to myself and: the others who ;have contended for , the freeliold, that we letiI e t i. ma /? ?"' im i""ess'on on the Prime' Minister and this trovornment, and they.iind it necessary and'retire asgracefully as they can from the position' they'tookup'a year or-two ago. . I; need not refer to tbe tremendous increases: of .taxation'which are proposed except just to say.; that. 1 consider suoh-.proposals exceedingly serious and likely..to have a very bad eifect 60 far as the prosperity of the country and its credit are concerned.; , ■ Mr. Massey added, "I hope 'what has hap. pened.in this connection will induce;the peopleof,the country.to look more closely into the manner- jn- which their- financial affairs 'ave conducted; in any case, they must see: that tlur position we have got into js, in striking contrast to the growing statements that were made at the time, of the general election, , ;-I have no hesitation; m saying that for some time post the real position has been covered up anymore than thot, I consider that ; Ministers' by their want of foresight,.are responsible to a very groat extent, for; the'dimcalty that has arisen. ' ■■■■■■.';'■■ ■'■.:'. ■ r .-•■■■