CAND TENURES.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1539, 7 September 1912, Page 7

CAND TENURES.

Sir,—With your permission I should like to pass a few remarks on the much vexed question of land tenure—freehold versus leasehold. Now, sir, I have both freehold and _ leasehold property, and I havo no hesitation in saying, from experience, that the former has the advantage of the latter'in many ways. In the first place, I would-like to mention that any sensible person knows that legislation can bn" passed that would effect either the freehold or the leasehold, that could be made equally drastic to the holder of either tenure. But, sir, this it not the spot whsre the boot pinches. It is in quite a different place that "the boot pinches the poor settler.- And it is, sir, in the shape of raising money for stock, building, grass seed, or for any. improvement of any kind that the man. with the freehold scores over the man with a leasehold. It matters not to whom he may apply for money, it is all one. The first question asked is: What is your tenure? and if he has the freehold (although, perhaps, heavily mortgaged), lie .will, in nine times out of ten, get assistance. " (Of course, it goes without saying, his name and character must be right.) And with Hie leasehold they one and all—merchants, bankers,, auctioneers, etc., and even the Government-invariably fight shy of the Few Unfortunate leaseholder: Lot any one of the asitabrs fw.tno leasehold tenure go into the backb'ocks with limited means and try his hand, and he will be quite wire after that, that for the small settler • r? is only one fair tenure, and that is the freehold It is vwy easy for town folk to.sav that the freeholder has no right to tho value of the unearned increment but I say candidly that he is the hardest-worked man in the Dominion to-day; he is the baokbone and sinew of fhe country; always has been, and alwavs will be, and, therefore, he is entitted to a.H ho can ejet. I fail to see from put point of tne compass why the settler should b» besnideed his unearned "increment. Take the city business man that builds up a successful business, and eventually sells ont for a far higher price ■.nan. he boneht for. Now, sir, tell mo what Hint is if it is imt nnenrnp'l increment. Then, sir, in addition to this, <me oiust tnke into consideration what tho ford "freehold". impart? to the small farmer. «D?ciallv if he is of Foms origin, fhe feslins in that word is almost everv-■-hin? to "him, and it will take centuries ro take away the feelin? that that wnrd imparts. Thanking you for your valuable tpace—l am, etc., \ 7. .7. UTDEB.