LAND

Gisborne Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1481, 15 June 1905, Page 2

LAND

A TRADE UNIONIST’S AVOWAL. .(Feu Fresa Association:.): Wellington, last night. The principal witness before the Land Commission to day was William Hampton, President of the Tradeß and Labor Council, who said ho represented upwards of 3000 Wellington unionists, and could voice tho views of other trade unionists throughout the colony. Witness held that the land belonged to the community, and that the value of land was dependent on the population and the expenditure of public money. As representative of his party, he advocated re-valuation, in the case of existing leases to tako place at the death of the present lessee, or tho transfer of a lease to another. Personally he advocated periodical re-valuation without qualification. The sacredness of the contract entered into by the Government with the lease in perpetuity settlers did not appeal to him. It was, he said, never too late to rectify a wrong. He admitted he had no experience of the backblocks, and knew nothing of life there, but held that the backblocker had not a monopoly of life’s miseries. Eighty per cent of town workers could not live in a house by themselves. They had to live in lodgings or take in boarders, and'owing to exorbitant rents giving the freehold means playing into the hand of tho moneylender. Mr Everett (84 acres native reserve and 153 acres freehold), of Rewaka, spoke of tho multiplicity of tenures. In his district there are 38,000 acres of charitable and hospital and educational endowments. He advocated the acquirement of all by tho Government, and substituting a uniform tenure. He preferred 0.R.P., but if the Government would not grant that L.I.P. would be the next best thing. John 13tuart Wrett, from tho same district, said he leased 400 acres under tho Whakarewa Trust, and had no right of re-

I newal or claim for value of improvements. He wanted the freehold, but would be satisfied if he had the right of renewal of lease and compensation for improvements. He had recently been served with notice that the lease would not bo renewed. He believed the land was to be attached to the Orphanage to which it belonged. Joseph Alfred Askew, of the same district, gave similar evidence regarding a lease ho held from the Nelson College Governors. He said the trustees had informed him that valuation by arbitration would bo given for permanent improvements, which were defined us buildings, stumping, aud drainage- They'did not propose to take nonce of such lihings as ncing, orchards, or hop plants, ■)