LAND SALES ACT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 9, 6 October 1943, Page 6

LAND SALES ACT

Service By Farmers On

Committees

TEMUKA DISCUSSION

Dominion Special Service,

CHRISTCHURCH, Octooer 5. Service on the land sales committees to be set up under the Servicemen s Settlement and Land Sales Act is a matter for the discretion ot individual members. in the opinion of the lemuka branch of the New Zealand Farmers Union. The following resolution was adopted at a recent meeting of . the b ranc h “That this brunch, while oemg in agreement with the objections raised by the Dominion president, Air. " . Aiulliolland, to the passing of the service; men’s Settlement and Land Sales Act by reason of the throwing aside of long-es-tablished principles, feels that it must leave Io the discretion of individual members of the union the decision whether they act on the land sales committee or n °An original motion by Alessrs. L. I - Talbot and J. H. Thompson, ‘ that the executive be supported, ’ was lost.. “The passing of the Servicemen s Settlement and Land Sales Act has been Strenuously opposed by the Itarmers Union, and the Dominion executive strongly urges on all officers of the union that they refuse to accept office on anv of those committees to be set up in connexion with the Act. or to assist in anv way in their operation, as by. doin'- so thev will be assisting to put into operation a measure which is most injurious to the interests of the country, including those of the men returning from overseas,” stated a circular to all branches, signed by Mr. Mulholland. The chairman. Mr. J. Moodhead, said that he had given the matter much thought, and concluded that the u p lo !’ might be usurping too much if they took up a course of strict opposition toward members sitting on the committees. Mr L. V. Talbot said that Mr. Mulholland should be commended on the attitude he had taken up in regard to the farmer. They should support, the executive in its request, but if any individual member cared to crerve on the committee, he was welcome to. In its construction, the Act violated certain well-established principles of British law.. If they submitted to the principles involved, they would lose by precedent the liberty to which the individual was accustomed. They should oppose the principle that the Government had the power to remove any member, of the committees. Mr A. E. Dobson said that they all agreed something of the sort was necessary The obj'ection was to the machinery'rather than to the general principles of the Bill. The executive was taking up a foolish attitude, as it had not put up counter-proposals' in time to be incorporated in the Bill. :