The Land Question.

Dunstan Times, Issue 993, 29 April 1881, Page 3

The Land Question.

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.

Mousing Herald. Bearing in mind tho large powers possessed by the Land Board in dealing with the runs, the discussion of Wednesday on the Cromwell memorial is highly satisfactory. There is evidence of a laudable disinclination on the part of some of the members to be guided by mere official surveyors reports as to the quality of the laud’ and its stock-carrying capacity. The Board should he guided by the evidence of experienced persons who are intimately acquainted with the country about to he dealt with; and searching inquiry should be made before a final decision is arrived at. A* two members of the Board have already travelled through the interior for the special purpose of enquiring as to the quality of the land, we think they ought to be very well qualified to take evidence and make a recomm nd ition to the Board in each case. The remark made by the Chief Commissioner, that the Act of 1877 does not limit the pastoral area to be ac- . quired by one person to an acreage ' estimated to carry 5000 sheep all the year round, suggests a question of the gravest importance, which we are afiaid has not yet received sufficient attention. In fact, this may furnish an explanation of that “ awful jol lity” displayed by squatters which seems to puzzle and surprise Mr Pyke. That part of clause 119 of tho Land Act, which up-country people are so anxious to have enforced, in the belief that it is sufficient to effect a proper sub-division of runs, reads as follows ;—No larger extent of such land ! [to be occupied for pastoral purposes] 1 than will be sufficient according to the i estimate of the Hoard to carry all the year round 500U sheep, oi It 100 head ol cattle, shall be off red by auction in one lot under the provisions of this | Act. We think it is only too plain ( that this provision is utterly inadc- ' qua e to effect the sub-division of rui,s. If a large run be put up into two, three, or more small blocks to meet the requirements of the section above quoted, we see nothing whatever to prevent the former runholder, or any man of large means, from securing the original rim by buying the suh-divisions in detail. He might have to submit to severe competition, but it is well known that the holders of the existing large rims are prepared to pay a much higher rent than they pay at present, and it is certain that in many cases they can easily outbid any possible competitions for small runs. However undesirable it may be, we are afraid it will he absolutely necessary to get fresh legislation in order to carry out the proposed subdivision of runs in a satisfactory man. 1 ner. As the rims will not be dealt with to any great extent before the beginning of next year, the e is time to get an amending Act passed ; and whatever may be the risk, we think that steps will be have to be taken bv | those who desire to see the runs effectively dealt with in the interests | of lettlement. It is undoubtedly • difficult to carry out such an obiect, I but an effort must be made to prevent | several small rims from fal ing into j the hands of a single individual or I firm. When a small settler takes a I piece of land upon deferred-payments I he has not only to pay a substantial I price per acre, but he has also to fal- I fil very stringent conditions as to rest-) dence and improvements We tail to see why equal precaution should not be taken when a large and valuable tract of pastoral country is to bo disposed of for a number of years.. If such an amending Act as we suggest be introduced, provision might also be made for giving fixity ot tenure to small runholders, the necessity of which we referred to a few days ago.

The Mataxjra Ensign*. During tlie next three years 7,000,000 acres in Otago, now heM under pastoral lease or license, will lie at the disposal of the Land Board, and the question as'to how it should he dealt with is now attracting the serious attention of the Otago people and Press. Nearly the whole of this land is situate in the Central Otago and Vincent districts, and the matter is therefore perhaps not of immediate interest to our readers ; hut as a great principle is involved, and as the course adopte 1 in disposing these lands may establish, a precedent, we are justified in referring briefly to the matter. The opinion seems to bo unanimous in the districts most intimately interested that these large pastoral areas at piesent held by single individuals should he greatly reduced ; that they should he sub-divided into allotments suitable for a mixed system of pastoral and agricultural farming, where the land is adapted for the purpose, and the runs re leased where the land is purely pastoral, in areas of from 10,000 acres to 20,000 acres. There is scarcely any question but that this plan would bo the best under the circumstances, and the one most calculated to promote the settlement of those large tracts of country at present in the possession of a few persons, mostly absentees, and used only as sheep walks and “ happy hunting grounds ” for the rabbiter.

The Tuapeka Times. The memorial forwarded to the Otago Waste Land Board, on behalf of the public meeting held at Cromwell, raises, in a verydistinct manner, the issues involved in the very serious question of the re-leasing the pastoral runs. There is a complete propriety in such a memorial emanating from Dunstan district, considering the fact that nearly the whole county is in the hands of a few non-resident licensees, and is thus practically oue huge sheep walk. Mr Pyke, who, to do him justice, has always been true and •■avnest in respect to theland question struck the key note of the present agitation, and, to use a Highland illustration, is now sending “the fiery torch ” throughout the length and breadth of Otago, with tho view and in the hope of rousing up the people to a keen sense of the emergency o the position, and unite them in the determination to insist upon justice being done, and the monopoly of the squatters abolished once and for ever. Hie scandal of the re-leasing the greater part of the runs in Canterbury is probably still fresh in the recollection of those of our readers who keep themselves posted in politics. The danger now is imminent that Otago , will be locked up for another ten years in much the same way. Palmerston and Waikouaiti Times There is no gainsaying that in his . crusade against the releasing of the i unsiu the Vincent. County Mr Pyke , has “ right ” and justice on his side ; . and that he will obtain “might” 1 from the enthusiastic reception which ; his proposals receive is pretty sure , also to follow, the large measure of success which has already attended j his meetings wherever they have been held being all in his favor The open- , ing up of the lands has ever been a i popular cry in the Provincial District of Otago, and indeed throughout the ] Colony and in every other new ■ country where large and extended areas are occupied by the pastoral . tenant under lease from the Crown. : In his raid against the pastoral tenant Mr Pyke commenced single-handed, , but the cause he has esooused has , gained strength as lie has proceeded, , until it may now fairly he assumed to ■ afford every prospect of becoming a . power that no Government or L°gis- | latnre dare to ignore or disregard. Mr . Fyke has not lived in the Colony all i those years without becoming ac- ] quainted with the requirements of the community in which he moves; he is teo much of a practical man to do that. He finds that gold-mining is not that reproductive industry it was some years ago, and that if we wish to keep th<* capital and poimlation we have in the country, and offer inducements to others to join ns fre-h fields of investment and employment of labour must be opened up, and this in ! the absence of manh actories can only | be done by throwing open the land , for settlement as the pastoral leases fall in. The present is a favorable opportunity for taking steps to have the proposal carried into effect, as next year the leases of rims comprising 1,000.000 acres fail in ; and under the Land Act the Waste Land Board ! are called upon to deal with the runs , this year. Mr Poke’s movement and advocacy in endeavoring to prevent the releasing of such runs as may fall in next year is extremely well-timed, and promises to be attended with the success it deserves. As it is very difficult to predict what may be the 1 decision o! the Waste Land Board with respect to the disposal of the runs they are called upon to deal with, the action of Mr Pyke is all the more commendable, and will nndonbt- • dly have the effect of drawing the attention of the inhabitants of other portions of the Provincial District of Otago to the necessity of bestirring themselves in a matter that so vitally affects their future prosperity, and the settlement of the country. There can bo no doubt that it is essential to the future development and advancement of the country that there should he greater facilities afforded lor settling the people on ,be nnalienated lands of the Crown, end no more favorable opportunity for accomplishing this desirable object could be given than the present when certain runs, the leases of which fall in next year, are about to be disposed of. The crusade which Ml Pyke has initiated towards bringing pressure to bear on the powers that be to induce Parliament in its wisdom to take such action as may bo deemed necessary to enable tho conditions of the Waste Land Act to be carried into effect, and to suggest such amendments of tho law as would lead to facilitate the settlement of the people on the waste lands of the Crown, whether classified as agricultural or pastoral is highly commendable Mr Pyke’s object in having effect given to his views is to form a powerful Land League, and there is very little fear but that lie will be successful beyond his most sanguine expectations.

Tan Mount Ida Chronicle. The movement that Mr Pyke has made in Vincent County is a good one, and one that was very necessary, i If settlement is to go ahead in tho ) interior, the runs must be cut up. J A mp!o provision, by the selection of blocks, must be made fov the needs of future selectors, and either commons or hundreds will have to bo proclaimed

to provide grazing ground for the residents’ cattle. We know that th* Land Act provides that land which may be leased in future shall be liable to be taken—if the Governor thinks it necessary—without compensation, but twelve months’ notice must be given. We can see that great efforts will be made to have no more land reserved, when the runs fall in, than is actually required at the tinv>, for it will be said - “If the runs are release'l, land that is required may be got at any time without compensation," but the fact will not be borne in mind that twelve months’ notice has to be given—that the runbolders, as a rule (there are some exceptions), object most strongly, even now, to havini; their land taken from them, even when they are paid 2s Gd per acre compensation, and when, in some instances, they receive as much for their old fences as would build now ones. Many of them viciously, and with effect, too, for they have the ear of a sympathing Ministry and a warm friend in the head of the Lan I Board If they fight so hard now that they receive all these solatia, how will they fight when their land is taken away without any consideration being made them. The interests of the interior are closely allied with the administration of the land, and we need some authorised organisation to look after and advocate its needs. We have no i-uch organisation now, for, though the County Council shows a good deal of activity in the matter, it has no legal standing in this respect, for it is not entrusted by the Counties Act with any special powers in relation to it. The Council can only move in the matter in a general way, as one affecting the welfare of the ratepayers. Had the Grey Government remained in power, it is quite possible the Land Boards would have been abolished—or an attempt would have been made to have this done but with a squatter’s Ministry in office such a thing cannot be expected. It is only right that those most interested should have a voice in the disposal of che land, and a specially-organised body is ne°ded to make that voice heard. A Land League would do so admirably. We understand that Mr Pyke intends to address audiences in the different centres in Maniototo and Tuapeka,' as well as in Vincent. We shall be very glad to see him in Naseby, and the other towns of the district, and we are satisfied that large and sympathetic gatherings will assemble to hear him.