The Land Question.

Dunstan Times, Issue 992, 22 April 1881, Page 2

The Land Question.

WHAT THU PAPERS SAY. North Otaijo Times.

Mr Vincent Pyke has suddenly burst upon the country as the founder of a Land League. Hie time hij arrived for some one to go forth in New Zealand and arouse the people to a keen sense of the necessity of a change in the manner of disposing of the unsold pastoral lands. It is evident that Mr Pyke thinks he is the man for the occasion And indeed from what we know of Mr Pyke and tile other public men of the Polony, we should say that ho is as lit as any of them for the task he has undertaken. His colonial experience has been long and varied, he is not a mere visionary, he is a well read man, and ho can speak well in public. With such qualifications as these, and with an intonate acquaintance with the land laws of two colonics—• Victoria and Now Zealand—Mr Pyke shouhl not fail in his self-imposed and patriotic task of creating in Otago a strong public opinion against re-leasing the pas" toral runs on the old plan—that is, in vast areas varying from 20,000 to 200,01)0 acres. We are therefore glad to see Mr Py'<e make a beginning in Central Otago, and if other men do not enter upon a similar course in other districts we think that Mr Pyke himself, now that tho name’s atoot, should follow it into all parts of the Colony. A great many of the pas! u-d leases fall in shortly, an t it is a palpable fact that, under the present system, the runs are held by a few persons to the disadvantage of the whole country. Too much land is held in single blocks by individuals, ami too little is obtained for it by the Crown. The time is therefore opportune fora radical change, and a radical change is absolutely necessary. It is now possible to introduce the bill farm system so long talked of in Now Zealand. In Otago in Vincent County alone 20 persons who are absentees occupy under tho present system considerably more than 1,000,000 acres of pastoral land. Now, this vast extent of country might, with great advantage to the public, he subdivided into a 100 or a 150 hill farms. This mode of subdivision, applied to all tho runs in Otago as the current leases expire, would have an astonishingly improving effect upon tho face of tho country, and would give to business in tho towns an impetus that it has never experienced under tho preson I; system of pastoral leaseholds. Indeed, it ia only by some such change as this that the successful establishment of new industries can bo rendered possible in Now Zealand, except under a system of protection which arbitrarily takes money from one man to give it to another, It is thus made clear that the crusade against the present system of run holding'is not a tight against a class, but a fight for the lust interests of the whole population. Wo therefore trust that tho agitation begun by Mr Tyke may ho carried into every district in which it is possible and worth while to culti Vat n a strong yet rational public opinion in favor of reletting all runs, whose leases Will shortly fall in, on tho hill form system.

Otago Daily Times,

Mr Vincent Pyko has commenced his anti-runholder Crusade, and has a text which Will unquestionably afford ample opportunity for popular discourse, That tho sheep-runs in the interior of Otago are too largo, and in too few hands, is a proposition that very few but the lessees themselves will bo inclined to dispute The fact that these lessees are also, in not a few instances, absentees, is also patent enough ; and the further fact that many of the leases run out by 1882, renders the present a very proper oppoitunity for discussing the proper mode of dealing W'th a largo scope of country thus falling so soon under the control of the Waste Land Board. In a recent article wo insisted on tho broad general principle that no action should be taken which would have the effect of destroying or injuring so important an industry as the growth of wool. We pointed out that settlement can only go on gradually, and it would be, in our judgment, a most unwise step to attempt to turn the whole of the interior into small holdings on the deferred payment system. The people of New Zealand are trustees rather than possessors of a magnificent estate, which belongs not only to the people who happen to be in the Colony now, but to whose who shall come hereafter. A certain number of persons are always seeking land on which to settle, and a small proportion of these seekers have the requisite skill and a larger or smaller amount of capital, such as will entitle them to look for success in agricultural or pastoral pursuits. These people are not all of the laboring class, though many of them are. Some are of the class who, if they have free scope given them, become employers of labor, and who are prepared to expend their capital in making permanent improvements. Both classes ought to have their legitimate craving for land satisfied as far as is practicable, and the land will never be satisfactorily settled by one class only.

Dunedin Morning Herald.

We congratulate the “ Daily Times ” upon its appearance before tire public in its true colors as the mouthpiece of that small but influential section of the community whose private interests would be seriously affected by the a loption of a land policy which Would seek to reduce very much the areas at present held for purely pastoral purposes in Central Otago. Taking the recent utterances of our contemporary as our guide, we may be able to forecast the line of argument which will be adopted by those who are determined to oppose sub livisioi of the runs, and the encouragement of a system of mixed agricultural and pastoral farming. Apparently they intend to maintain that the time has not yet arrived for the adoption of a system of sheep farming in the interior different from that at present existing under which single individuals or Arms hold runs varying in size from 110.000 to 300,000 acres. It is declared that 25.000 acres is the smallest area of land which can be profitably used for sh-’ep-tarming We strongly urge,upon those who desire to promote settlement in the interior the absolute necessity of placing before the Government and Parliament the real facts of the case, supported by unimpeachable testimony. If care be not taken to do so, wo shall not be at all surprised to find that by means of official reports of one kind and another it is made out that the great bulk of the land in the interior can only be util- | iseil as 3he'‘p-walks of no sm filer area than ; 40,000 or 50,000 acres each ; and that com- | bined pastoral and agricnlturil farming is a mere delusion fostered by self-seeking polii ticians. That great dependence will be placed Upon the expedient of obtaining oil!vial reports is evidenced by the suggestion that it should be left to the Chief Surveyor to map out, the interior to the best advantage, with a view to producing thr largest qu mtity of wool an 1 sustaining the largest quantity of stock aU the year r mn I Past experience has effectively taught Otago people to whose advantage the country would be “ mapped out ” un ler such a very pleasant arrangement, it is au entirely mistaken notion to look upon Chief Stir veyors, Chief Commissioners, etc., etc., as the best judges of what land is lit for pastoral or agricultural purposes. Theconse qnence of mistakes in the past have been very trivial compared with the disaster which would befall the cause of settlement in this part of the Colony if similar blunders were committed with regard to the immense areas of land now about to be dealt with by the Laud Board and the Government. It is rather fortunate that the public are forewarned of the intention to get this all impoitant question relegated to the decision of the Chief Surveyor. We fancy that the large number of people in this district and throughout the Colony who are determined that the cause of settlement in Central Otago shall not be thrown back by at least ten years, will take very good care that this ingenious scheme is not successfully carried out. The question should he decided not by the report of any Government official, but by the evidence of trustworthy settlers of all classes who have lived for years in the interior, and who are practically acquainted with the quality of the land about to be dealt with. As we pointed out on a previous occasion, the evidence recently taken by the Counties Railway Commission will be of even greater value in connection with the land question than it will be with respect to the construction of the Otago Central Railway. We have no doubt that the Land League which MrPyke is now vigorously organising will also do good service by publishing facts which will not serve the purposes of those who are dreadfully alarmed at the prospect of runs being subdivided with the view of carrying nut the very practical scheme of combining agricultural and pastoral farming.

The Dunedin Echo. Wc are glad to sec that Mr Pyke is agitating the question of the re-leasing of the runs. Wo have already pointed out what we think the Government should do. But there is one point to which Mr Pyke has referred Worthy of careful consideration. Under Section 119 of the Land Act, 1577, there seems to ho two provisions dealing with the re-leasing of the runs. If the land is at present leased—as all the interior of Otago is—then it seems to he left to the Governor in Council to determine what the sizes of the runs' shall bo. They are to be ro-loasod “ in runs of such extent ” as tho Governor in Council shall approve. But if tho leases of the runs had been forfeited or surrendered, if the land was not leased, etc., then the Board is to determine tho size of the run, which must not, however, exceed an area sufficient to graze 5000 sheep or 1000 cattle. Now here comes the importance of Mr Pyko’s agitation. If the runs had not been leased, or if tho lease had been surrendered, then tho agitation was unnecessary, as the law has provided the limit of their size. Unfortunately, it may be contended that under Section 119 tho Governor in Council is to determine the area of the runs in tho interior and not the Waste Land Board, and hence tho need of those in the interior to demand the subdivision of tile runs. Are ‘25 pioplo to keep a million and a half acres? That in tho •pteotion Mr Pyke is asking tho people in

tho Various mining centres, and thero can be only one reply. If the interior is to progress tho holdings must bo small. It will bo seen, then, that it deserves the support of not those in the interior only, but also those in the coast districts.

Not only will the production be increased if the runs be divided, but we believe tho rabbit difficulty whore it exists will be the easier coped with. Some pastoral tenants, knowing their leases are nearly up, are doing little or nothing to check the iivrease of rabbits. They, no doubt, are in hopes that tho existence of the rabbits will do two things -make tho Governor in Donnell fix a large size for their runs, and also deter purchasers from bidding against th m when the leases are put up to auction. Wo hope, however, that tile agitation for the subdivision of the runs will be so general and so persistent that the Governor in Council, which really means tho Minister of Lands, will bo compelled to subdivide, and thus enable tho production of wool, etc , in the interior to ho increased.

Mr Pyko deserves credit for his eff >rts, and wo hope Ids constituents, however they may differ with him in other matters—if they do—will not refuse to lend him their support in his present much-needed agitation.

The CtontweU Ary us.

Mr Pyke has, so far, been verv mu; -r ful in his meetings agitating for owing up the lands held under pastoral lic-nis . and a number of local committees ba • been appointed to strengthen the object in view. We bespeak for the district membei full meetings and cordial co-operation in tho cause he is now espousing. The question of opening up lands to Iho people is one on which Mr Pyke has always been sound and consistent In times past he lias advocated persistent battle by the penile for their rights, and now that tbe opiiortnir; period has come we maybe sure Iliac if his exertions can secure success it will b achieved. As we said last week, united and earnest exertions will he needed to triumph over the obstacles of every kind will be thrown in the way of wresting tbe land from the dov.iuio ■ of dio squatters, and only bysurh oneness of avion can tbe desired change be effected. We are gl,.d to

seethe organisation of influential local committees in each centre of population, each forming a branch of a powerful Otago L uid League. While there can scare •be a doubt that the League, assisted and supports 1 by an intelligent and well-informed Press, will radio its power felt by the Governor and his Advisers, the agitation now begun must not be for a week or two or a mouth, but must bs sustained and augmented until the desired end is accomplished.