LAND REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1664, 3 February 1913, Page 5

LAND REFORM.

SPEECH BY JIB. LLOYD-GEORGE

STARVING WORKERS.

A RUSTY, EFFETE SYSTEM,

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Rec. February 2, 5.5 p.m.) i London, February 1. In a speech at the National Liberal Club, Mr. Lloyd-George, Chancellor .of tho Exchequer, declared that tho foremost task of tho near future was the regeneration of rural life and the emancipation of the land from the paralysing grip of n rusty, effete, and unprofitable system. The land ought to produce twofold its present output, and tho remedy was not to tax food nor to crush tho land by fresh taxation.

Mr. Lloyd-George denied the suggestion that the Government had conducted a clandestine inquiry into the private personal affairs,of land owners, with a view to making attacks on their political opponents. The Government had merely filled the gaps in tho incomplete reports of previous investigations. It was impossible to get unfettered evidence through official inquiries! The results of the present inquiry would soon bo published. Ho forecasted startling results, and declared that hundreds of thousands of people, if not millions, wero employed on the land under conditions which ought to make a great Empire hang its head in shame. The workers were not paid enough to keep their 1 wives and children above eeniistaryation, and the'land was held under conditions which discouraged capital and .brains from .being invested in its development. Many rural. workers had' been driven into the towns, thus depressing wages and creating unemployment. The remedy ought to cover both country and tonn labour. It was to everyone s interest to see the land placed on a business footing.

UNIONIST COMMENT. CABINET DIFFERENCES INDICATED. . . ■ (Rec. .February 2, 5.5 p.m.) rm , .v London, February'l. The Pall, Mall Gazette" (Unionist) declares that Mr. Lloyd-George's speech confirms . the postponement of his pet land programme ,to make way < for the Education Bill, announced by Lord Haldane. The "Daily Mail" (Unionist) interprets tho speech as indicating differences 'with Mr. Asquith with respect to next session's programme. :