LAND COMMISSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1426, 10 April 1905, Page 3

LAND COMMISSION

45 (Per Press Association.) Timarn, last night. ' The Band Commission took evidence yesterday.. A. Cleland,-farming two thousand acres 1 of froohold, said he believed the leaseholder should have t’no option of baying the freehold. As freeholders, they woald bo bolter Flo thought as far as bo had soon e L I.P. tsnants were farming there was a fear that revaluation would oome as the result of the agitation of the Trades and Labour Councils. Therefore tenants should have the option of buying. Two other freeholders spoke in favour v of giving the freehold total or partial. Two tenants complained of the cropping conditions in the limitation of the groon crops.

i 'W. 8. Muslin, ex. M.H.R., farming about SOO. acres, discussed at considerable length various aspects of the land..policy. Leasehold, with periodical valuations, would havo boon best if adopted at first, but it was svo late to adopt it now. In the interest of both the community and tenants, the latter should have the right to acquire the freehold. One reason for this was that there should be a. community of interest amongst agriculturists to counteract the socialistic tendencies of the cities in regard to the occupation of the land. Nothing - need be made of the enhanced value of the lands, an the Stats had given up the claim to this for 999 years. If they desired to prevent re-aggregation that could bo done by requiring transfers to be mado subject to the same conditions as tbe transfer of leases. The limitation of holdings Bhould bo measured by values, not by areas. The State has now a right to pat a taxon land, and no other right would arise from land nationalisation. ” ; An ex-schoolmaster suggested that in every chso a tenant relinquishing his holding should do so to the Land Board, receiving liberal payment for his improvo- "» ment, the State thus gaining any unearned increment. Several witnesses condemned the advances to settlers' office from their own experience of it.

The New Zealand Herald’s special correspondent telegraphs the following information about this expensive comedy : Pleasant Point, Friday: The proceedings of the Commission are beginning to border on the farcial. Though two nights were ■'spent at Fairlie, only two witnesses were examined there, and afterwards in the ...cobamittee room individual members state the Commission was not altogether a happy family, for tally an hour was spent in mild wrangling about minutes and the arrangement of matters, and the want of arrangements in connection with tho tour.. Tbiß morning there was a decided vagueness about the arrangements for the day. The majority of the Commission started in a thick'fog on a drive from Fairlie to Albury, and two Commissioners, the press representative, and four members of the staff came on by-train. We could gain no definite information as to whether we could get accommodation for the night at the next stopping place (Pleasant Point),or whether we could rely upon getting into Timarn in the evening. Under the circumstances two Commissioners, diguated with the want of definite arrangements, wisely lett for Timarn, thus missing the two meetings at Albury and Pleasant Point. "• At Albury„wa found that no arrangements had.been made for a hall, but an 'aterviaw.<ivith the local schoolmaster rs- ’ iltad }&'a room in the public school being Mficsa'at tiie disposal of the Commission. to arrange this, the teachers had f to take one c'as3 in a shelter shed in tho school ground. It was also mentioned that as the school funds were very low a fee of ten shillings from the Commission would not come amiss. Wa learned that a meeting of Crown tenants had been bold in the locality to i decide upon givmg evidence, but that it had broken up without ooming to any definite decision. John Scott Rutherford advocated longer leases, surfaae sowing cn the runs, and planting of trees for shelter. The local Crown settlements were prosperous. Some tenants were agitating for the freehold, but most wore content with the leasehold. The ranger did not harass the settlers; in fact, witness thought he should be round a little oftenor. Isaac Curtis, a Crown tenant, favored the freehold option, because he did not think a Government lease was worth the paper it was written on. A Government eould pass any Aot it liked. Witness was not speaking for himself alone. He know several who wanted the option to purchase properties. Henry Kidd said he was well pleGfed with his tenure. He advocated a Jc6n- ' tinuation of the lands for settlement policy. He thought that the settlers were like tho ohildren of Israel going through tho promised land. They were always crying out for something more. James McCorte, farmer, said he was satisfied with the lease in perpetuity . tenuro. ■ ’ . Timarn, Friday.—The Commission reached Ploasant Point at half-past 3, discussed the minutes of a previous masting, and then kicked its heels in idleness till dinner time.. A meeting wa3 advertised for tho evening, but two or three intending witnesses were a little late in appearing n She scene, aad the Commission era rove into Timarn without tikingany vidence.