LAND COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1416, 29 March 1905, Page 3

LAND COMMISSION.

, (Per Press Association.) Dunedin, last night. The Land Commission this forenoon took the evidence of John Roberts, lessee of Gladbrooks run, of 3600 acres, and Patearoa, about 65,000 acres. In witness’ opinion 21 years’ lease with right of “renewal should be sufficient for profitable

occupation. In small holdings tho quality of sheep deteriorated. As a general rale witness thought the freehold was mors satisfactory to the owner himself and all concerned with it. His firm, Murray, Roberts and Co., bad never taken leaseholds as anything but collateral security in tho matter of loans. Alfred Richard Barclay, solicitor and a

former member for Dunedin, said that as a student of the land question he had formed a strong opinion against the State parting with the freehold,. Speaking with business knowledge, he declared that there was a diffioutty in financially manipulating leaseholds. . The difficulty was due to the fact that trnst moneys were prohibited by law from being invested in leaseholds, and in witness’ mind there was not a sufficient reason why that prohibition should exist.

• Later.—The Land Commission took evidence to-day at groat length. John Roberts, a runholder since 1859, said it seemed unfair, in reference to the Pateroa ran, that it should be cut np into small holdings and let at lower rental. The Government now received £497, and he had been paying £1097, and was prepared to pay higher for a renevyal. ' It remained to bo seen whether the settlers would succeed if there was a slump in both wool and sheep. He declined to take high country. He bad tried surface sowing on freehold at Giadbrook. The cost was very great. . As. to the price he was asking for the land at Giadbrook, he produced a sample of wheat which gave 60£ bushels firsts and 4J- seconds. If sold at 3s 3d that came to £lO 10s 2d per acre. If a man wanted, land at £9 per acre capable of growing crops like that, he wanted to rob the man who • owned it. He thought provision ought to be mads for runhoiders who had carried oh operations for 30 or 40 yoars. There were men who had no other land to divide amongst sons and daughters, and surely they bad a right to be considered when properties came to be dealt with. Asked as to what he would do with high country, be thought there was some low land that could be repurchased when it could be profitably worked. Generally ho advocated giving the option of freehold.

G. B. Barclay, solicitor, gave evidence as to unearned increment in the city, quoting instances in the city. Wise's comer had been bought originally for £l2 10s ; in 1885 it was sold for £35,500. Tho section on which the Grand Hotel stood had been Crown grant ia 1854 for £59 10s ; in 1886 it was let for 21 years at £1703 per annum for two years, and £1965 for the remainder, the tenant having. to expend £2OOO in buildings.

Robert Fcrgusson, compositor, gave evidence on behalf of the Labor Party, emphasising that no freehold should be parted with. It was’ parting with the birthright of the people. John Lethbridge, manager for Dalgety and C 0.,. who leased the Morven Hills, said they wished to surrender, but the Minister '"would not accept. The rental was £2750, and there had been a loss of 60,000 sheep in carrying’ capacity in recent years. The average number of men engaged in rabbiting was 157. Alfmd Dillon', Bell thought insufficient

consideration was being given to runholders. Ida Valley had been held by his father and himself for 50 years. During that time they had given up without a murmur all the land required for settlement until now the 78,000 acres loft would only carry 18 000 sheep. They

were relegated to the worst of the country. They had never- complained, but tho timo had come when runholder felt he must go, and it was for tho Commission to consider whether on principles of public policy men who hRd not been bad settlers should 'be so treated; He had worked hard nil his life, sometimes 14 hours per day. He had no schools near at hand, and was deprived of many comforts and conveniences, and ho was now relegated, to tho worst of the land to make a living on.

. Tho Commission proceed to Palmerston and Oamaru to morrow.