The Land Question.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 23 August 1910, Page 4

The Land Question.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF SETTLEMENT. Reference was mude at the ast meeting of the North Canterbury Executive of the Farmers' Union to land settlement matters and to the Government's land policy. Mr C. H. Ensor said that they had discussed several matters of importance, hut it appeared to him that they should not lose sight of the land legislation proposed to ie liroiight down by the Government. He referred to a recent statement made by Sir Joseph "Ward, which, he said, was to tlie effect that laiui iva getting expensive, and that he, the Prime' Minister, would have h> bring down some legislation so that it would 1)C of less value. _ Such a proposal was simply taking away a part 'of the fanners' capital. It was a wrong idea that land had got too dear. At the present time tin producing capacity of the lands of the dominion had not reached hall of what it would he during tire nexi ten years. If the productiveness of their land was /increased, it stood to reason that the capital value would increase; but the legislation proposed to he brought down would hinder the farmers from 'increasing .he productiveness of their land. If the Government would bring, down legislation that would assist the farmers to increase the productiveness of the country they would be doing a power of good to the country and to the farmers. He had a suggestion to make :—Supposing tlit farmer got a small exemption from land tax for the amount of laboui employed by him, it would help him to produce more, instead of bringing in legislation of that sort, tlie Government proposed to inereasf the graduated land tax and to force farmers to submit to extortionate taxation. With a little bit of encouragement the farmers would soon double the productiveness of the country, because they knew the land and could make it produce more than the settlers from the towns. Mi: G. W. Leadjey referred to "'us proposal as a novel idea. The chairman (Mr F. G. Horroll) said it was a good one. Mr Leadley: "But I'm rathe) afraid of it." Continwing, he said he did not see how Sir Joseph Ward could carry out lids idea; it wo'ild mean destroying the taxable val.ie of the land. * He suggested that the executive might pass a motion to tl:o effect that they viewed with alarm the Premier's proposal to reduce the value of land, and trusted that no such idea will he embodied in legislation by the Government. He thought that the remark of Sir .Joseph must have been a slip of the tongue. To reduce the value of land in the dominion would bo to reduce the security for the loans. ' Air Ensor said that the reason given by the Prime Minister was thai it would help to put more settlers o'i the land—it won ell bring down the value of land so that the Government could buy it. As a polic.j or land settlement this was no good to them as farmers—it was straightout robbery. Mr Leadley said that there weiP millions of acres of Crown lands awaiting to be settled. Mr Ensoi , said tihe land legislation they wanted was legislation thnt would encourage fanners to prodmce more from the soil. Last year the dominion's exports were valued <A £21,000,000, of which £18,000.00 C represented the direct product of I'.ie land. On the motion of Mr Ensor, onded by Mr Leadley, it was resolved :— "That the taxable value o! farmers' land should be reduced !"y the amount of money paid away in wages for the year for which tt ( return is made." It was also decided to forward a copy of the resolution to the Prime Minister.