THE HOUSE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1852, 11 September 1913, Page 4

THE HOUSE.

THE NATIONAL HERITAGE. OHAKUNE SETTLERS. ' The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. • The desire of a number of Orjwn tenants at .Oh.ikuno for the fiee'hold gavo riso to a discussion which lasted for nearly two hours. These,tenants occupy village settlement. .holdings upon endowment lands; Somo time ago -they petitioned tho House for tho right to acquire the freehold,, stating that >tho right had been promised them prior to, tho last general election; on behalf of the present Government., Tho claim of the settlers is based upon a contention tiiat tho tcniiro undor which they now hold their land makes it impossible to" work it. Thoy, are unable to obtain advances from tho Stato Advances Oflico or from private lending institutions. The Lands Committee reported upon the petition that it dealt with a matter of policy and should be referred to the Government. - . Mr. R. W. SMITH (Waimarmo) strongly supported the demand of the settlors at Ohakune for the freehold. . Tho PRIME MINISTER stated that it was intended to deal with the caso of •theso Ohakune settlers in a clause of the washing-up Bill, so that the. House decido whether their request should bo granted or not. Mr. G. WITTY (Riccarton) objected to any meddling with tho national endowments. and declared that t.ha nro-

1 posal mentioned by tho Prime Minister w.as the thin edgo of tho wedge. Tho PRIME MINISTER said that the proposal in tho washing-up Bill would probably bo that the settlers should be given tho option, of tho freehold, any moneys received by way of payment for theso sections to bo paid into tho National Endowment Fund. The. limit of nine million acres under tho National Endowment Act had not been reached, so that not only would the National Endowment Fund benefit as indicated, but in addition an equivalent aica would bo added to the endowments. Mr. ! -Witty said that these Ohakune settlers had been practically asked to ask for tho freehold, and told that if tlioy put ill the. present Government they would get it. ' Mr. R. W. Smith: They are going to get it, too. Mr. Massey interjected that the settlers in question wore not awaro when they took up their holdings that they consisted of National Endowment land. Mr. Witty contended that the settlers could very well go on under their present tenure and that it would be against tho interests of the State'to part with the endowment. Promises Broken. Mr. J. G. COATES (Kaipara) said that Mr. Witty had taken a very nar-row-minded view of this question; These" Ohakuno village settlers, on taking up their holdings, had been promised advances up to GO per cent, on tho value of their, holdings, and wore promised roads. Theso promises had not been kept, and a deadlock had arisen which could best bo got over by effecting an exchange—by proclaiming . equivalent areas elsewhere as endowments, and lifting tho reservation upon these sections at Ohakune. Mr. G. W. FORBES (Hurunui) admitted that the Ohakune sottlers were suffering under a disability, but contended that tho position should bo met by general legislation, and not by a cfauso of special application. • The endowments must bo maintained. Mr. D. BUICK (Palmerston North) defended the proposal to givo the Ohakune settlers tho option of acquiring the freehold, and declared that in "this National, Endowment cry" he detected the influence of the .land nationalisor, Mr. D. BUDDO (Kaiapoi) said that the maintenance of National Endow-ments-was in tho interests of tho farmer. ' The discussion was continued by Messrs. T. W. Rhodes and J. Payne. An Alleged Danger. Mr.. J. A; lIANAN (Invercargill) said that'it was.clear-from what the Prime Minister had said that tho National Endowments were in danger. In the Budget of last year it had been stated that there would be no interference with endowmont lands. Now proposals were before the House which were in the direction of going back upon that statement. There was a dancer, unless a strong protest was made by Opposition members, tho public of Now' Zealand and the .democratic press, that the National Endowments would be destroyed. Tho. Reform Govornment was now developing its undemocratic intentions," and by fostering the desire for the freehold had lit a fire that would be difficult to put out. Even municipal and harbour board endowments wero in danger. , Leaseholders Retired. Mr. G. J. ANDERSON (Mat-aura) said that ho could'sympathise with tlio last speaker because it was indicated in that day's paper that the now Leader of tho Opposition, in forming his "Cabinet," had retired "all tho" 1 leaseholders. Now they had No. 2 leader audi No. 5 leader holding forth against tho Government because it proposed to do justice to a few settlers at Ohakune at no cost to anyone in tho country. Mr. L. M. 'ISITT (CJhiristcluiroh North) said he was surprised that tho member for Mataura shoidd have lent himself im any way to the "political trick by a party hack" which had appeared in Tub Domimon that morning. There was no truth in'iit whatever, and vet the member for Mataura had quoted it as if it wore a geiraiiio statement. Tho Opposition understood tlio purposes for which tflio paragraph was written. He accused tho Government of seoking to purchase votes by' selling the heritage of tho Dominion; and tho Piime Minister of executing a volte faco in TDgard to endowments. Not ono member of tho Government party had raised li.is voice against tampering with endowment' lands. '"The party whip •cracks,"* said' Mr. Isitt in a somewhat mixed metaphor, "and the sheep follow tho. bell, wothor. Absolutely abject!" He was not prepared to fight this question upon any matter; of detail.. The Prime. Minister had stated over and over again that there would be no interference with tho National Endowments.

: Mv. A. E. GLOVER (Auckland Central) said that lie would bo unworthy of the great trust reposed in him by tho constituency of Auckland Contral if ho did not oppose any interference, however infinitesimal, with the National Endowments. Mr. R. M'OALLUM (Wairau) said that tho prosent Government was tho most corrupt Government that had .ever occupied tho Treasury 'benches. Barren Criticism. Mr. E. NEWMAN (Rangitikei) said ho' had been very much struck by the fact that not one Opposition member had suggested any practical way of getting ovor tho difficulty as an alternative to tho suggestion of the Prime Minister. Mr. R. W. Smith: Hear, hear. Mr. Newman contended that the only way to assist tho fifty settlers at Ohnkuii® was to give them tho freehold. Ho hoped that the Primo Minister would not loso sight of the fact that tho freehold was just as important to every working man in this country as it was to the farmer. (Hear, hear.) ■ Tho report of tho comnnttco was laid on tho table.