The Feilding Star, THURSDA Y. A UG UST 23, 1 £83. The Land Act Amendment Bill.

Feilding Star, Volume IV, Issue 34, 23 August 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star, TH URSDA Y. A UG UST 23, 1 £83 . The Land Act Amendment Bill.

The debute on thin Bill is vr-.v instructive as showing;' the van-. ■■ «■ peculiar ideas possessed by im-mir. of the House on the question ol t; i alienation of the lends of the •■••tari-, either by absolute sale or by lease. The diversity of opinion as to whether the ballot system, or tenders, or sale; by public auction are the best for the general good may be attributed a good deal to the fact time the individual experience of members in either o!" the mode.-! is limited, and their ideas are consequently cn»de and ill-digested. The Minister > f Lands, Mr Ivolls-s ton, is oy.po ied to the system of lea:; ing by ballot ai the upset fprice, and fav^-s that of competitive tendering, as ?-bo raau to whom the land was worth most to would tender the high- ..•;■ price. Any change in the tender system was deprecated, as it was only commenced last year and had n<>t been tried long enough to sbow decisive results. Col. Ttimblb was in favor of sales by public auction, but this was opposed on the grounds that poor men were tempted toibid beyond their means and to give prices which kept th^m poor and distressed to tha end of the chapter. We are prepare*! to admit that each plan, viz., that of bailor, tender, or sale by public auction, may htfve points ihat specially recommend them to tbeir several advocates, and niftke each seem better than the other, yet an impartial observer, may be dissatisfied with them all. Mr Uollesto'n did not quote the admirable system adopted by the Canterbury Association in the vending of land, probably out of consideration to the feeling ol Si? George Gkey, who is crazy on the subject of "gridironiug" as practised by the "wicked pilgrims" who seitled that province. Any man with £80 could purchase, direct ftvun the Government, auy forty acres he chose in tbe waste lands of the province. He bad no middle men to deal with. There was no vexatious delay, and no extra expense. No man with a larger purse could outbid him. If it is a mere question of getting for tbe State as rauoh money as possible for the land, the best and fair-vst mode of selling it is by public auction. The nonsense about the " pour man " can be thrust aside as unw.orthv of consideration. .. The "poor man " knows a great deal better than to ruin himself so si mpiy as is generally supposed. At a'u open sale the bidder* see . each other, , and can tell the difference between a buyer who in ten ♦.;.■? to settle and a speculator who buys tohold lora rising market. A resii dentitil clause in the, condition of /-a'4 would 'prevent any great harm, .result -j .in^,frp™',shg latter el'asi of persons. This rule could apply ■to leased land. as well. ■Notwithstanding all the legislative precautions that "may be attempted to be taken, so-called.." landcharking- " will exifet to the end oi time unless there is some radical alteration for the better in • our present system' of Government is regard* the eierjosal of the State property. . .The. land it the property of the people, es ft whole, and should not be alienated to individuals. But while each- By stem of alienation exists,, the right* of the people should, he protected as much as possible, and that, can best he done by all land transact ions being perfectly open and above board, and with complete publicity. " r ' > irmg-ifaaw mm i ■ in