THE LAND QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 23, 22 October 1919, Page 8

THE LAND QUESTION

DISCUSSION BY Ii.S.A,

PROMISES SHOULD BE FULFILLED

A discussion on the land question took place at yesterday's sitting of the conference ot the Now Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association.

In moving the adoption of part 1 of tile Land Committee's report, a summary of which was published in yesterday's Dominion', Mr. G. Mitchell (Balelutlia) said that lie believed tlicro were at present 301)11 or 1000 returned soldiers looking for land, and that another 0000 who were working at their trades, etc., would take up land if it wero available. The Government had little or no land policy. When tho soldiers left New Zealand they were promised land on their return, and i hat. promise should be redeemed. The end of tho war was an occasion for a great policy of development, and now was the time to open.up tho land, so that the country, by means of increased production, would be enabled to pay its war debts. The committee proposed that the Government should open up all the undeveloped lands in tho Dominion, so that they might be occupied at once, and that all bis estates should be valued and tabulated with a view to giving owners failnotice of resumption by the Government. There was no estate in tho country, but would carry a wife and: some children besides its present stock. Inflated values were at the bottom of the whole trouble regarding land, and the winning of the war had been responsible for the values being increased. It was entirely wrong that the soldier, who had carried the "dirty end of the stick out there," should come back and find that lie could not get land. Inflated land values were really a "war gratuity" for the farmer. (Hear, hear.) If the Government were valuing the land to-day on 1914 values then it wns wrong that the present-day prices should be asked. Tho Government should at once step in and stop land gambling, and the committee recominendeo that land aggregated during the war should be acquired by the Government at a fair value to the aggregators. Land speculation was an evil that should be stopped. It was not in the interests of the country to buy farms of small farmers, and simply replace the farmetrs, but in the present situation thero was no other course ODen to land seekers. It w f is wrong, also to demand that soldiers taking part in ballots should have a certain amount of capital by them. Provided men had tho amount of a half-year's rent they should be allowed to go to the ballot. He had found that, contrary to -many reports, soldier-settlers wero, in the main, getting on very well. The soldier had taken risks at the front, and it was only •right that risks should be taken in settling him on the land. If given a chance, the soldier-settler would make good. "A Secret Act," Mr. Y. Potter (Auckland), in seconding the motion, asked the conference to bo very careful as to liow far it went tn nsking for tho cutting up of large estates. That point had to be taken into account when it was remembered that wool contributed largely to the revenue of tho Dominion. Soino large estates were producing something because sheep were running on tliem, whereas many areas of Native and Crown lands wero lying idle. That was due to the Government not having induced the Natives to open up their land, and not having thrown the Ciown lands open. It was the undeveloped lands that should be brought into a, state of production. Mr. Potter asserted that thero was' a secret Act in operation under which nn owner could place what value ho liked on his. land, and the Government would take, the land at that valuation. Neither the public,nor the "Diggers" knew anything of that Act., .Mr. Potter was requested to name the Act. and ho undertook to do so later on. Mr. T. Long (Auckland) said that it Iras extraordinary for tho committee to suggest that it had the backing of the large landowners. It was the large landowners who had been ' pushing up the prices of wool and farm products. There were farmers in Now Zealand who were being farmed by absenfee landowners. and lie sympathised with real farmers who were suffering through the actions of these "globe-trotters."

Mr. D. Colquhoun (Dunedm.i said that too long a period elapsed between the lime a man applied' for land and the time when a grant was made. Only men with capital were able to obtain land. lie favoured greater financial assistance being given to soldier-settle-ments for the first two or three years of their existence. Poultry and fruit farms should be developed before the Government handed tliem over to the soldiers. Returned soldiers should bo represented on the land boards.

Dr. JO. Baser (president of the association) remarked that tlio "chickens were cominqr home to roosts" Promises were made ivhen the soldiers were awny, inml the Prime Minister in 1916, 1!)J7, Jpul 1918 had been preaching that lam' would he available tor soldier-settlement when the "bovs came back." The position was that the "boys" were back, ami thev demanded from the Government the fulfilment of the promises that were made. 'l'he future held failure in store tor many men because they ivero buying at 101!) values, which they had created, instead of at 1914-15 values. The machinery for settling soldiers on the land had not been put in proper order to prepare for the return of the troops. He felt that, to a large extent, they should not hit too hard at -the large landowner, because it was better to have large, mobs of sheep running on big ureas than to have large mobs running oil small areas. More About the "Secret" Act. At this stage Mr. Potter announced thai; the Act to which he had referral was - the Land and Income Tax Assessment Act, ISHIB. This stipulated' emphatically that ja man could revalue his land after the Government had ordered a valuation. An owner could place his own value oil tlio l.land and pay tlio rates and taies accordingly. It was admitted by the Government that if thev afterwards desired to take (his land at a valuation they acquired it at the owner's own value.

j Mr. H. M. Haycock (Palmerston North) said the principle of the land purchase system was unsound because tho Stale was really its own competitor. H(< maintained that they should stand for taxation on the "vast unearned increment of this country," so as to prevent speculation in land values.

Mr. W. 10. Leadley (Christchurch) suggested that it should bo urged upon the Uovernmcift to increase tho uniount available for the purchase of small farms bv returned soldiers from .C 2500 to „CMOO.

Mr. W. Pollock (Auckland) said lie had found that most of the estates which had been acquired for soldier-settlement were bad purclnses because in almost every case too great a price had been paid. The principle of buying for the soldier estates which were at the present moment, in a certain state of productivity was not helping the country one whit. Uy putting men on unimproved land the productivity of the country was being increased.

After other speakers had contributed to the discussion, which lasted over two hours. Mr. Mitchell Tcplied, and pointed nut, that the committee felt that land belonging to abseil tco owners should bo taken first, as it was- considered that such people were no good to the country. The committee considered that the land aggregator, the land speculator, and the J.W.W. .asritalor were the worst enemies of the country to-diiy. (Hear, hear.)

l'art 1 of the report was adopted miiiniinouslv, and the conference proceeded' to consideration of part 2.

It was decided to urge upon the Government the necessity for expediting tli6 work in conneelnun with Government loans jumlcr the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Act. With reference to the price of land. Mr. Mitchell said the coiiimilleo htid agiMed that the price to be paid for nny particular piece of land should be the value of that, land in Ifllt. plus an increase in value at the same rate as tliu land increased in value for the five years preceding 1011, and plus any improvements put oil the land during the period. It was thought fair to pay only the amount of increase that would have accruod had thcro been no war. By

adopting such ti principle the country would secure the war-created value. The cont'ercncc agreed to tho principle as expressed by Jlr. Mitchell, but decided to refer the matter Jjack to tho committer fof a detailed report. It was resolved to urge that in tho case of soldier farmers who liavo been assisted in procuring their farms and who appiy for. further assistance for Iho purchasing of stock, implements, etc., the advance be not made a chargo cn the land as a second mortgage, but lie taken over the stock only. The conferenco resolved that the lack of capital should not bo a bar to soldier settlers desirous of taking up land, and .that the Minister of Lands be requested to give instructions to land boards to that effect, provided that in such cases tl'.o provision fsr the payment of a halfyear's rent in advance should not apply. Various remits dealing with land matters were passed as follow:— "That the attention of the Government be drawn to the great demand by returned soldiers for grazing leases and pastoral runs, and urged that this class of land be thrown open for such." (Dunedin.) . "That where the leases of grazing leases or pastoral runs expire, 110 renewals be granted provided returned soldiers are prepared to take them up." (Dunedin.) "That this conference strongly protest at a charge being made for the preparation of mortgages for tho Crown." (111vercargill.) "That the Government be again urged to supply wiro and building material at cost price to soldier settlors, the said material to be bought in tho best markets." (Dannevirke.) Committee's Recommendations. The Land Committee recommended and it was decided:— "That a land officer be appointed by tho li.S.A. and attached to headquarters to take in hand all matters pertaining to land settlement." ■ "That in all cases where desirable and possible, stock should be acquired with estates." .» "That where desirable estates acquired l)e kept under proper supervision as a ,goin.i; concorn until such time as the soldier settlers are established." "That where estates are bought or leases fall due and are intended for settlement* for soldiers, such estates are not to lxi stocked beyond the wintering capacity." "That as a general principle estates should not be'cut up into too small sections." "That 110 rural land over |:lie value of ,£751)0 be transferable without the option of purchase be first given to the Laud Purchase Hoard; such option, to bo exer--1 cised within three months. That such land cannot be sold to iinyone, other than the Government, for a period of two years, after such option is given, at a lower price than tlint asked from tho Government, without tho approval of the Land Purchase Board." "Th if 110 section bo loaded with cost of roading, draining, etc., and interest charged to settler until tho money has actually been spent." "Sueli areas of any section covered with fern, scrub, or manuka, shall bo free from all or part of rent, based cn its carrying capacity, until such areas are made productive, but such remission shall not exceed three years." "In case of outlying blocks, one or more telephones bo installed as best suited for convenience of settlers, tho cost of installing such telephones to bo put in at public exiwnse and cost , of same loaded 011 to settlement."

"That all land aggregated since Jau> nary 1, 1915, may bo compulsorily takeii by the Government; at tlio price paid by tho aggregator, for settlement by soldiers."

It was also decided to recommcnd that loans for building settlers' homes bo fixed as follow: Singlo men, iSM; man and wife, illOO; for each child, *850 extra.