THE LAND CAMPAIGN

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2048, 8 April 1907, Page 4

THE LAND CAMPAIGN

REPLY TO PR. FINDLAY

At Now Plymouth MV. IV. H. Matlioson, farmer, of Ekotahuna, gave un address on tho land question from tlm frouholdors’ ]ioint of view. In tlio course of liis address lie replied to tho points in tlio speech made by Dr. Findlay iv short time ago There was a fair attendance oi tho public, the Mayor presiding. Mr. Matheson deprecated the fact that lie was advertised as a platform speaker. He was moro at home oil tho farm, hut after reading Dr. Findlay’s speech •at New Plymouth, he felt that his task would not», alter all, bo so bard. The Farmers’ Union which sent him (Mr. Matheson) there, was anxious that the people should know' the truth on the land question, and ho was there to speak as an experienced small farmer. All wanted to seo Now Zealand prosper and tlio land settled, but when such n Bill as tho Government’s was put iorwurd to effect that purpose, ho entirely disagreed with it. Referring ■to the Land Commission and tho cost thereof, ho said he thought that tlio report was not worth the money that had been spent on - it. As a member of that commission, and nftor hearing both sides of the question, lie thought tho freehold was the best tcnuro. Tho commission was divided on tho tenure quostion—five recommended that no right to purchase he given, and the other five recommended that tho right to purchase bo given in respect to ordinary Crown lands. Ho folt, and ho stood alono as a member of the commission, that tho land for settlement people should also have tho right to acquire the freehold. During the last sixty-six years (tho term of tlio lease proposed) tho rental of farms in Britain had fallen 50 per cent. He did not think that would happen here, but if it did we would have hundreds of people who could not pay the rent. The colony would have to do so for them, because wo wore pledged to pay the money back to those in England who had lent it to us. Many of the settlors under the Settlements Act wanted tlio right to purchase, and in advocating that system he believed ho was voicing tho sentiment of the majorty of the people. Now Zealand was in the position of a landlady who stood between the moneylender and the person who. took up tho land under tho Land for Settlements system. lie bclievod in tho right of purchase, and the expenditure of tlio money thus earned in purchase of other lands. “A SUGAR-COATED PILL:

Tho Bill was not Mr. McNab’s. He w'as only the reputed father of it. It should be spelt pill—a sugarcoated ono, perhaps, that tho Minister for Lands had been forced to swallow. When a man reversed his policy on a fundamental principle connected with his own department, it was a disgrace on the part of the public to allow such a change of face to go unchallenged. The leasehold was a poor ladder on which to reach prosperity, unless at the end of it there was the freehold. The present Bill proposed to chop • a bit off the freehold, and “when a man with an axe cut away and saw blood, it was hard to say where he would stop.” Tho Minister had power to borrow £500,000 a year, and buy land on which he could put tenants to work. If he were allowed to go on borrowing in that way, where would the freehold bo? Tho speaker instanced what the freehold had done for Denmark (one of tho most prosperous countries). Franco, and Canada. On the other hand, if they looked at the leasehold, what had it done for Ireland? It had driven her people across the sea, and made her ono of the most depressed countries on the face of the earth. The freehold colonised New Zealand ; there was no getting away from it. This Bill suited the land nationalism's—honest men they might bo, but peculiar on this particular question. If land nationalisation came about, a happy people would be cut into two classes—taxed and untaxed, one always at enmity with the other. Nationalisation might work in a heavenly country, where they 'could perhaps assess values between tenant and landlord. There were 22,000 Crown tenants now, and the cost of supervision and general expense was a strong argument in favor of tho freehold. Ho quoted a case in Pahiatua County, where leases were let for twenty-one years, at tho end of which period tenant and landlord were to select valuers to value improvements and rent, the land to be then put up for auction. The leases in question had just run out, and the conditions' were fairly carried out, but a valuer was put on who lifted the rent to three times the amount paid, and assessed the value of improvements so highly that when the lands were put up to auction, no one was willing to pay the rents or for improvements. One of the strongest arguments in favor of' the freehold was that when a man had the right of purchase he was his own valuer. What valuer, after sixty-six years, could assess the value of bush land which was now growing grain, or could assess tho fertility of land. “We are a colony spouding thousands of pounds a year trying to find a will-o’-tho-wisp called unimproved value. The land nationalism's say we will give you all improvements, but we want payment for the unimproved value. If tho nationalism's succeed, one thing is certain, and that is that country life will bo made more . unattractive, and boys and girls will flock to the towns in greater numbers than at present.” ENDOWMENT PROPOSALS.’ As to tho endowment proposals, Mr. Matheson said they sounded well at first hearing, but the people must remember that as time went on the land would make ,no direct payment to the State. The proposal would hinder settlement and curtail the productive power. Tho scheme was, in fact, nothing but a catchvote cry. The 66 years’ lease was not a good tenure for a small man to finance, for borrowers and moneylenders’ interests depended on the whim of an assessor.

At first Cabinet said it would put the Bill through. Then the Premier said, “We’ll cut it in half.” The Ministry was so divided and the statements of Ministers were so contradictory as to constitute a disgrace to New Zealand. Mr. Mathcson then criticised some of the leasehold proposals of the Land Bill, and proceeded to say that the endowment system was a step in the direction of land nationalisation—in other words, a sop to land nationalism's. No taxation could be absolutely fair unless it made every one pay . according to his income or accumulated wealth. Existing rights were, despite the utterances of Ministers, in danger if the Bill became law. There was at present the right to talro up land under the optional system, but that right would bo taken away by the passage of the measure. The speaker, amid applause, referred to Mr. Bollcston’s deferred payment and right of purchase systems, and said Taranaki would not be the place it was to-day but for those systems. As to the large estates, the Farmers’ Union had advocated restrictions which the Government had not so far thought of, but the union deprecated undue interference with existing rights. To go back on a bargain with the men who helped to build up the country, while the Maoris had millions of acres of unproductive land, was, in his opinion, dishonest.’ Moreover, it was bad business to make sine men sell. The £50,000 would damage the security of moneylenders, which meant the rate of interest would go up, and the little men would suffer. The Bill was hatched out by men who" he

would admit were anxious for tlio welfare of the country, but who were ignorant of tho subject which they attempted to deal with. Tho first duty of the State was to educate the children to tho duties of citizenship and give equal opportunity to a man to work at what ho wus best fitted for, and to see that ho got a fair wage. So far ho was personally a Socialist, but tho adoption of this Bill upponrod to him to bo nothing short of ;m attempt at robbory. Farmers wanted town workers to have good housing and good wages, but lie warned town workers not to go too far in the direction of killing tho gooso that laid tho golden egg. If the Minister had framed the Bill on tho lines of his speech at Whangs rei to the effect that he favored Maori lands being thrown open on the freehold system ho would have had his (Mr. Matheson’s) support. Tho. man with the freehold built a good homestead and farmed it well, and good farming meant a good deal for tho towns.

Mr Matheson sat down after speaking for little over an hour, during which he had come in for considerable applause from an audience that by then had increased to a couple of hundred. MOTION PASSED.

Mr. H. Okey moved—“ That Mr. Matheson be thanked for his interesting address, and that this meeting is of opinion that any land bill that does not grant tho option of tho freehold is unsatisfactory and opposed to the settlement of Crown lands in this district.” He spoke strongly in favor of the optional tenure, and hoped tho mooting would carry tho motion without dissent.

Mr. Fred Bayly seconded tho motion, and expressed some dissatisfaction with farmers, “for,” lie said, “I believe they are the greatest tools I have evor seen in my liio.” As a farmer himself ho would like to have tho truth spoken about them, because they woro certainly not alive as tlioy should bo to tlieir own interests.

Tho motion was carried practically without dissent.

THE EXHIBITION.

Press Association. CHRISTCHURCH, last night. The attendance, at tho Exhibition for the week was 120,680, making the aggregate to date 1,805,161. (By Telegraph Special Service.) CHRISTCHURCH, Saturday.

There was a capital attendance at the Exhibition to-day, and while Easter holiday trippers from all parts of the colony are returning home in large numbers, their places are seemingly being taken by other visitors. An interesting new exhibit was placed in the national history court this afternoon, consisting of a jar of baby Japanese goldfish. They were spawned at the private aquaria of Mr. Waite, Curator of the Can-; terbury Museum, on Good Friday, and the eggs hatched on Wednesday last. Tho interesting little creatures, which are somewhat difficult of detection by the naked eye, owing to their semi-transparency, are about a quarter of an inch long. , At the request of the Hon. J. Carroll, Native Minister, the Maori girls from Turakina College will remain at the Exhibition for another week.

Two concerts given by Blanche Arral, in conjunction with the Exhibition orchestra, have proved, both from an artistic and financial standpoint, among the most successful entertainments that have been given in the concert hall.

School children are still coming to the Exhibition from all parts of the colony in undiminislied numbers. Among the arrivals of the last few days are parties from Bannockburn, ICaikourii, Hokitika, and Lawrence Schools, while the children of Caversliam Industrial School are expected next week.

Tho royalties from side shows and selling rights for tho week ending Wednesday last amounted to over £ISOO. Tho Exhibition statistics are made up for weeks ending Wednesday ,owing to the fact that the fair was opened on a Thursday.

Mr. Jacques’ demonstration of preserving pears and quinces tonight was attended by ono of the largest gatherings ho has ever had. Frequent, demonstrations will be given next week. The general manager has received advice that about two hundred patrons of tho special rail and steamer excursion from Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa left Wellington by the Mararoa to-night. Many farmers and others having expressed a wish to obtain small quantities of some of the cereals exhibited in the agricultural department’s court the request will be complied with as far as possible. Applications should be sent to tho officer in charge not later than April 10. Requests from teachers or committees for seed for school plots will have preference.

A .children’s carnival and search for two buried nuggets will be held in Wonderland on Saturday.