THE LAND BILL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2057, 30 April 1907, Page 4

THE LAND BILL

SPEECH BY DR. FINDLAY. Or. Findlay, the Atturuo.y-Genoral. iddrossod a large public meeting at Palmerston on April 24th on the political outlook. He pointed out that as fur as the main lines ol policy vvoro concerned, tho only dillorenct between tho existing Ministry am. -ho “soven devils of Socialism” tvhc took otlice with John Ballance was that tlioro wore now more devils — eight, instead ol seven —and if the Opposition of to-day wore to he believed, devils of Socialism every one of thorn, at loqst as rogards our land laws.

The speaker then proceeded to show that tho most novel and daring Socialism this colony had perpetrated had been for tho benefit of the small farmers. .In proof of this he relerred to the compulsory taking ol land under i-.he Land lor Settlements Act from private owners, and dividing it among a crowd of landless Crown tenants. Our advances to settlers system was tho same kind of Socialism for the benefit of tho farming community. The State had become a great moneylender, and in the purchase of land for settlement and in loans to settlor! ion millions sterling has been added to the debt of the colony. He then referred to the growth of the Department of Agriculture, and said that the littlo division of the Land and Survey Department sixteen years ago had grown under the Liberal Administration into a huge active department, employing three hundred officers, exclusive of farm and other laborers. He spoke of tho immense sums which the State had spent in cold storage for dairy produce, il. subsidising shipping lines. in the promotion of markets, and in railway concessions to farmers in respect ol their produce, and demonstrated at some length that the State had done in the direction of Socialism for the farming community, especially' for the small farmers, more than it had so far dreamt of doing for the city dwellers. lie declared his strong approval of all this State action. It had amply justified itself, and there was room still for an ever-widening extension of it. Mr Massey and those who were with him in denouncing Socialism—tlm only Socialism which had over been dreamt of in this colony—either showed that they did not know what Socialism meant or else were illogi,rally condemning that which hud done more for them than any other section of our jieople. Dr. Findlay then proceeded to show what kind of Socialism was contained in tho Land Bill. He said, if asked what, in his opinion, were the paramount purposes at tho Bill, he would reply that the most important of all was the limitation of estates, both present and future, for that spelt closer settlement, and next- in importance was the reservation of our unalienated Crown lands as endowments for old age pensions, charitable aid, and education. Tho question of tenure for future Crown tenants was, lie the least important of the main provisions of tho Bill. ‘‘We must ask ourselves,” he said, ‘‘whether the time has not arrived to follow the example of older countries and set aside the remnant of our Crown lands for such endowments. If so, then the question of freehold or leasehold can not, as regards these lands, arise. AYe cannot both sell them and keep them as endowments. It must he decided whether these endowments should he established. Two things must he kept ill view—firstly, that it is the duty of every just Government to run the country and its natural assets, not in the interests of any class, however large and powerful, hut in the interests oi the people as a whole, and secondly, that it is tho duty of tho Government to legislate not only for to-day alone, but for the future, and that policy which is best in the long run.” He evoked the example of older lands to show that as the population of this colony increased, and with its pressure upon the sources of subsistence, the landed pcoplo must grow richer, apart from any effort of their own, while the landless, unless they increased their effort must grow poorer; that our aged poor, mainly those who had to pass their lives as workers in the cities, must increase with our population. Even if the present proportion of old-age pensioners remained the same, increase would arise with claims fill- charitable aid, hospital treatment, and education.

The onl.v Socialism the Land Bill contained was Socialism which had an eye to that future, and of the necessity for making some provision for it. Thorn was no attack on the trochoid anywhere within the Bill. 'I here was no interference with existing rights; and the crowning purpose of the proposed legislation, so far as regards these endowments, was to administer the poor remnant of our remaining Crown lands in the interest of no class, hut in the interest of tins colony as' a whole. Dr. .Kindlay then went on to explain at some length the provisions ol the Bill,, and finally pointed out that under the subdivision which the limitation clauses would cifeot, and by means of the Native Land Commission, which was now doing such excellent work,there would bo more freehold land at reasonable prices available, in the next two years for farmers than there had been in New Zealand for the last fifteen years. NATURE STUDY. CLASSES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Mr. Win. C. Davies, instrchf' in agriculture in the Wellington schools, has sent his annual report to the Education Board. lie reports that there were forty-two schools with recognised classes' in agriculture, combined with cottage gardening, sit the end of last year, as against hit cell at the end of 190 b. . . . Mr. Davies observes that while it is yet too early to form an adequate estimate of the advantages to be derived from nature study 111 its agncultural aspect, evidence is not wanting to show that, where taken up m the right spirit and with due regard to its relation to the rest of the syllabus, not only need it not prove burdensome to teacher and pupil, but it mav become in every way all . assistance and a source of inspiration. The lessons to lie derived from the garden will naturally vary as the work progresses. Although during the first six months there is apparcully scope tor little beyond physical exertion, much may he learnt incidentally as to the nature ot soil, the reason'for the methods employetPin preparing the ’plots, and the causes which produced the particular class of soil under cultivation. It is needless to suggest to the thoughtful teacher the possibilities here opened up for a series of lessons in geography, embracing natural features and agencies stretching from the mountain tops to the ocean beach, and all connected directly or indirectly with the garden plot. Ihe plan of the garden and the arrangement of the rows will afford opportunities for exercises in drawing, while in the measurement and calculation of areas of plots, paths, etc., and the computation of quantities and cost of seeds, manures, crops, etc. per acre may be found material, lor numberless problems in arithmetic.

The instructor thinks it is a matter of regret that 1 the Government grants to classes in agriculture are not adequate to the requirements. “’The initial grant of lljs per head up to £7 los is not more than sufficient to buy tools, aud perhaps provide part ol the cost of fencing the garden plots, leaving nothing for the purchase ol apparatus for illustrating indoor lessons. .Many of our teachers have, with praiseworthy eifort, .raised small sums by means of entertainments, aud in Ibis way, with the aid ot the pound for pound subsidy granted by the department have provided the necessary apparatus. Gratifying as this exertion on the part of the teachers undoubtedly is, it cannot ill fairness be expected that they should thus add to their already considerable burden of work, and it is to be hoped that more liberal provision will ere long! bo made in the way of an increased initial grant-, and a higher rate of capitation. If tho former were raised |

to 12s Gil and tho latter to 5s per j head, the requirements of tho ease ■vouid, I. think, bo mot.” In a note of thanks Mr. Davies i ndieales tho help and facilities alfor- I led to him during the year:—“ln | lonclusion, I wish to express my chitnks to tho Town Lands Trusts and oilier local bodies in tho Wairarapa for their substantial monetary assistance to the high school classes; to the school committees and A. and B. Associations for tho kindly interest uid practical encouragement they have extended to the rural education movement; to Mr. Tlios. Ilorton, of i’nhiatun, who gratuitously provided the teachers’ class with a day’s valuable instruction and practice in gralting, budding, pruning, and other horticultural operations; and finally to the teachers, without whose sympathy and willing co-operation the cheering results of the past year could not possibly have been achieved.”