LAND REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1931, 13 December 1913, Page 7

LAND REFORM.

MR. LLOYD-GEORGE'S SCHEME "HODGE IN THE LIMELIGHT" It was unfortunate for Sir. Lloyd- ' George that his great land speech at Bedford should have fallen in the same week as a series of tragedies which distracted and almost monopolised public attention and sympathy. The result (writes the Sydney "Telegraph's" eorlespondent) was that the Chancellor's words were not, as in other circumstances they would have been, a. nine days' wonder for the nation. Nevertheless, the extent to which the speech was read and pondered is remarkable. Not even the great Budget speech of 190!) was read in detail by the multitude as the speech at Bedford has been. Despite the lone; absence of the im» porlaiiee of the land from the English wind, the past fortnight shows that the people as a whole are still in a large measure insiinetiveiy rural. They seem eager to believe in the possibility of Mr. Lloyd-George's dualling prophecy of a resuscitated country-side coming true. 1 doubt ii' there is a i'a rmer or farm-labourer in Great Britain who is not to-day conversant in detail with all that was said from the Bedford platform.

Tho Unionist press began by declaring | that Mr. Lloyd-George's spec"]! was a I complete fiasco. They represented that ! the ''little Welsh attorney" Mas discredited for erfr by tho Marconi affair, that his lire and power to influence the electorate wore gone, and that the Bedford demonstration was a mere squib, destined immediately t<i lizzie out. After roportin<j the speeeli in full, they, gladly seized the opportunity of giving extreme prominence to the tragedy of the \"ciitiiino and the horrors of the tinning disaster in .South' Wale?. After (he lirst day reference to Bedford it was hidden away in back pages.. Thin, policy las fed for a wee!;, ami J lion there tvas an interesting change, l/eluiing Tory organs realised that the speeeli was interesting the country to an extraordinary degree. It lias been made clear to them, as to everybody else, that "hinil reform"'is now an easy iivst in'every rural constituency. The (•'ovoriimem proposals, as outlined by 31r, Liovd(leorge in his second speech ut Swiiuloil, might successfully ,lm fought, or countered by an alternative schema; but they certainly cc mid not be ignored.

A Kcn-PaiSy Question. is cicar to owi-yhmly; wiiolc-sanled atlumpt is to bo inailo In levivo the TOiintrysido'. And this nl~ ton! pt is to bo a pait.v mat lor only in iletail. I'ho ink'lloctuals of iho I'i'iioiiist parly, ivlio.w biisino.ss it is io study and catos' !'<»• the vouwii' tiio iHultitn'lo. arc as anxious to do somotliin;; for the i:<boii)<*r and tlio snia'.l hoklor as Mr. lilo.vd-CJcorjfp Jiinisi'lf. 'I'l.ry may bo moved l»y n« very his;l) motives; their aotivity may l;n sheer iivoessiiy; t'Jioy may bo out only for votes. That, however, does not, matlei'. Tiiov neogniso that sonietlliu|j; must he dune, and tiie.v are determined its pull tlto groat land-owners bloiir with them. ■Tiiov pinoorat .Mr. drenin l>iet«ros and <|uil)hle as to wiiethor ])lieasants really eat- lnangolcis, or wiieiiier when, th-ey ]>ick at tiio nniiifiohl they are not, really exlricaiins the masj;(fols wiiieh aro ilami;;;in,n th« plant. Hnt at heart they know that land reform is inevitable, and that niiiess Ilio.V ;iro i-'i remain in Op|>ositioM imlelinilely. they must, eomo forward with propnsals ah roneiT'io and as as i'koso now hriin.; fornnltated bv iho dovermnent. ; Tiio fiovernmoiit'.i fioliey is Mijlieiwitly , clear.', Kami labourers aio to iio guar- j anioed hy llie .State a ininimiitn wa«c wliielr will onaiilo them and their i'aniii-ies'-.to live decently and contentedly njxiii tiio soil.This mnst. 10 servo the object 1 it lias in vie.r, bo cnonj'h io ~-e; <■!! the wajres and aitractioiis of iowji ;!ifc,vfand' : 'tiio Dominions abroad. Then ;tip\vards of 100,00(1 inra! coirages must hos'onilt oiit the Insurance Reserve IjFuiuL- tiif-AN»i«t which will fall between;

£1(10 and £'200 each, Tim Liberals urn strongly for lfasicltoM, To rp-spttic rural Kiiglund upon a freehold basis wuiiliL mean the pxpenriiture <if millions untold, and llio result wonM ix- an pkp.-'s-;sivt* strain upon 'Ifhc piib'iie pimx.', tlio raising <if la lid valiM'S 1o ai l ilirial jii ici S, Hi" ijreat piiric'limpiit of jnwrnt- owners, ■"'iid so nmcii delay that vor.v htllp lienefiu would i'oMio to Dm jirs'soiiS: (•rnmlioii. Hut tho tpn.inr.v Rys'piii. advocated by Mr. Uovci-iis to be of :i new order, so far as modern England is coijw;;m-d, l'oiits arc to bo fixed tipou'a' fair basis, tenure is to lie smtro, tli-e twmnt is to have bis nV.bN to iiniHuvemoniS pris))oriy safeguarded. Hani voikinn itie<; are no le.ni.rer to lip lined because tlie.v piirich tlip soil of their .JioWilißH, a»fl ii)a|:o tlipir Jittlw farm porafcrlnhlc and | protilalile. .

Tho Superhuman CiiafiMttor. This seems- a small prasi'smme, but if will involve the creation of a 1% and intricate machine. The Liberals, bciivi'Vi r, are facing it with resolution. I'potr il the next jjeiio'al eieclion will mainly be fought, and if the present (.iovernment 1 comes hack once more to o/lice .Ministers will be pledged to carry it through. It is well tor rural Kngi'unu liiat- a '.statesman of 31 r, Lloydlleorgo's unquenchable enthusiasm is iiMiilable for a task so gigantic. Nobod v who watched tho Chancellor crowd

the ] itsuranee Ai'l 1 liroiipjli Parliament by sln;')f personal force, not only in the f;iet> ot a powerful Opposition, but also against. +110 instinct ami wishes of many Liberals, will doubt that lie is csijmliln of accomplishing what ho proposes foe the countryside. Troc. tin' present task is infinitely greater. The rural mind is slow and suspicions. It resents reforms? which originate in a eity. and which aio promulgated by u. Minister who is en/iabie of ilin enormity of .saying that a pheasant oats mangolds. lint tho G'ovornmctit proposals are few awl clear, avid if* I lie fanner can be convinced that the higher wages ll* will b<> compelled to pay his labourers will ho more than set off by the benefits be will liim;:eif derive, tho country volo' will probably swing in the Chancellor's direction. Tho British with all his conservatism is fully conscious thai, his real enemy is tho groot and always expanding wealthy land-owner. COll- - liini that the monopolist is really being attacked, and he will go with tho Liberals. Definite Proposals. The- Government proposals in brief are- as follow: — A Ministry of Lands is to be established, which will tako over tho functions of the nrewnt. Hoard'of Agriculture. Tho Land Ministry, acting through Judicial Commissioners, will control niid supervise ail questions dealing with tho use of land, both rural and urban. The Land .Ministry will hare authority to ileal with small holdings, disputes between landlords and tenants, land trolls* for, afforestation, rfflaniiitwn, and uncultivated land. H will have full powtrta purchase uncultivated iiu:] uiidcr-cuiviviUfd land at a fair mariwt price, and to tako all tho necessary steps to bring such land into a proper slate of produclioii. Afforestation schemes iof waste land will lie carried out on tlio lilies fouml successful on the Continent. I/and required for public • purposes will bo acquired at prices fixed by tho commissioners. Tenant farmers will be given security of tenure, and tlw commissioners will have power to hear appeals against unfair ejcctioH. If a notice of eviction is considered by tho commissioners to be capricious, the lojjanfc .will be entitled to compensation Mini daiuafios:* If ,the notice is deemed purely -wanton, the commissioners will iiare-nowM' -to declare it null and void. . i . .

Sale of an estate will ho not regarde-l as jilstif-isisi a lwtiee to rmi't, ami if snelr notice is served the seller must nob nioiie compensate thp yO.nilit for I>i 3 improvements, ljul also tor turning turn O'.lt. .. „

'As reirards rent, the small, farmer will have power to appeal to the e«mmissiowjrs against the .existing ; rent, or against an increase' in rent. Ino appeal of the large _ fan tier will ha against increase of existing rent. if atfrieullur.il wages are raised lisioii.-'i State action the farmer rail :i;> peai in the Commissioners for a renuc trail us leiii'. An amendment of. the,.gamp, laws provide protection of the HBric«ilf«vts. The cumulative effect oi the provisions for farmers is that under the nc-v powers it will not- be easy to t'ini :» farmer off the land-so long as.herpes not farm badly.

For Wis La&otirer. A living w.iße. (tent houses, reasonable hours, ami ii- prospect nt a bit <>t laud arc to bo secured by fruito action for the labourers. The Stiitp will establish a. minimum wage, sniial-u to conditions, and it tho farmer thinks bo cannot aiU.nl to pay it the Couiniisssonm, on bis appeal, will have power to abate bis rent to omuio him to do so. ' Tito CoimnisSKMcrs will »!*> hav« power tn regulate the hours of agncu;tnral labour, so as to io:u>-i litem reahouses, of whioh it is estimated l'D,o<lo '"'e 1 ffal, . 1 1 ! :( ! ; " n parts, tin-; Stat" itself will build tiiom. Monov for the housing wlieme is to bo found in tlifl :wnv luml. iind.r the National lnsnwco Art, whicn <s to be adequately salegmiriled. An economic rent will hocl'iarged in-.'' flu- houses provided, so InatJipUiiia will fill! on the taxpayers. mis w; l„. a moderate re-u, for the money w>l lie .obtained cheaply ivlnle tne "* ]„. seeiirciUt, a fair price, to lie nxed by, the Commissioners. , .. I'Verv house must have » gariicn mil Merit to enable the occupier to supp.y himself and hi - family wiih vogelables all the year round. Housing provision will not bo o:mk.d to agricultural labourers■alone. *< ' r n-orliors who want to dwell in the < m.i, ; t rv will also have a chum, t.)f (>«!«< -• < r llio (lovenimciit being to encmilage i<eo•;live in rme.l dwellings.