ALIENS BUYING LAND

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3178, 31 August 1917, Page 6

ALIENS BUYING LAND

AN AWKWARD PROBLEM. Complaint has been made on. several occasious lately in the House of lfeprcsentatives that alien enemies are being allowed to purchase land, imd especially the land of soldiers going on active service. Replying to a ijuestion by Dr. Thacker on tins matter yesterday the Primo Minister said that it was quite impossible to transfer lands to enemy subjects, because this would bo trading with tho enemy. In the -.ase of Crown lands the Minister and tho Lands Department hod on all occasions refused to allow transfers of land to aliens. Mr. Witty: These are naturalised alions. Mr. Mossoy 6aid there was a difficulty about preventing sales of land to naturalised aliens, because they wero exactly in tho same position as British subjocts. Mr. AVitty: If a man is not fit to send away it is not right that he should bo able to buy another man's lacd.^ Mr. Massey said that under international law tho Government oould not restrict tho rights of naturalised subjects in regard to the purchase of private land. Tho,Government could do it with regard to ite own lands. He had refused to sanction a transfer that morning to a man. with a German, name, although lie knew little mora about trie man than his same.

Dr. Thacker: What about preventing the sale of laud of foldiew to anybody? Mr. Massey said that these lands should not be sold, and he was endeavouring to make arrangemonts to prevent it. There would be legislation before tho House this session to deal with the very point raised by tho honourable member.

Mr. Poland asked what steps, if any, tho Government were taking to deal with the question of the purchase all over the 'country by naturalised Germans and Austrian.? of the land of Europeans. Syndicates of Austrians were being formed to purchase lands, dairy lands, all over tho country. Was .nothing being done to stop this? .. Mr. Massey said that the point raised was a very difficult c-ne. It was under consideration by Cabinet, and he had had an interview with the head of tho Lands Department with regard to it.