LABOUR’S LAND POLICY

Hokitika Guardian, 30 June 1925, Page 4

LABOUR’S LAND POLICY

THE ‘TOEHOLD” TEN'FHE.

A N’t fill EH CKAXK Til ECHO

(lly Kespice Finem). As a great deal is being heard of the Labour Party's Land Policy, itwould not be inappropriate to pin the .“I'seliohl” tenure under a microscopical examination. The Labour members themselves seem lo he at sixes and sevens in regard to the matter, and on appearances it seems that Labour nutv go to the polls with the “('.-■ehoh!” Land Policy missing Iroin their plat form ; hut whetiier they propound the said policy, or not, it would be as well tor tile electors to gel a definite statement from each member regarding his views on land tenure. They will also have to take into consideration that il Labour ever gets into power, the saner element may be driven by the extremists to pass the “Pst-hold” Policy, and it will be not mm !i use. the larmc-rs and nikers iut“re-1 ed. saving ibitl Kiev will “tip ’em” out at the next election. for bv that time a great deal of damage will be done to the country,

which nine take a decade to retrieve. WHAT “FSEHOr.I)” MEAN'S. The “I'seliohl” policy means, as the average person takes it to mean, that if a tanner does not work Ins land to ike best advantage, or to the satisfaction of Ihe Powers that be. .lie will have it expropriated. f have heard it said, the member for Westland, Air O'Brien, has been telling the constituents. particularly the fanners, that the Labour Party has a committee r-ludving and trying to work out a .scheme that will ensure the breaking u]) of large landed properties, and the working of the small (arms to the best ceoiiomicaT advantage (but | whetiier to the. advantage ol tile tatmers or to the dictators, it is not easy in forecast) and ihe formation oi a small farmer proprietorship. The unwary may In l taken in by such a fine scheme, but those directly concerned should see that the Labour Party's beautiful dream of a land policy is placed before them, as it is to he carried out when tin- great day comes for Labour. The mere promise that the Farmers’ Committee is studying wavs and means should not tempt anyone to vote for I.about- on lhe strength ot a promise lhat t hey will nut in ioroo a policy, when limy are elected to power. tLai will Im of benefit lo evory- ' one. The safest plan will be to demand Hair laud policy in black and whiic, neigh it accordingly. and I

1 1,11.1: on present appearances, n win be found sadly wanting. AX EX PRO PI! I A’ITOX ACT. When .Mr Holland attains to that position which is the great ambition ol his life, (i.e.) 1 lie great Priam Minister of N.Z.. if lu- is true to the principles lie espouses, he will bring down an “Expropriation Hill o! Large Landed Properties," because be is surely aware that dm direct spoliation cf tin- “Squat toeracy” would alb-uni' 1 sviiipai by abroad, poruaps in that. Act. or it may be an amendment later nn. lie will insert the "I'sehold” clause and tin'll the small fanners will have to produce- what they are lohl to produce. A “SPOIL-ALL" POLICY. If the small farmers swallow Ihe vapuurings of the Labour Party, without weighing the "I sehold ’ g iliey, which really means- “spoil-all.'’ then they will deserve to pay the penalty for i la-ir rashness in trusting their affairs to the Socialists and limit- eraz.y theories. Probably the Aei will give tin State the right to purchase nnv ehoiit Id, , ; | land il may think lit. bill whether it will be purchased at pre-

war value or preesiit day value, the Socialists have not yei made known, f.; verv reasonable minded person knows I hat for I lie good of the enunllV laud aggregation should he stopped. and I hose already holding large , iraeis that they are linahle In work, or holding for speculative purposes, should hr made to disgorge, hill the ; “TNehold" way will not hring annul (hill desirable end lor various reasons. ; s.anie of which will he set forth a - plainly as possible. , SOM K () F F.ST lONS. I Suppose the price ilint die '‘S'limC ioeraiy" is to receive is decided tipoi ! ; v Labour's J.and Commit I ee. or De- , parlliieiit. or whatever lliey like In term it, or perhaps the local Land Donrd will l.e empowered t.i act. will i the -aid land-holders receive their I menes ill good old golden sovereigns, or in hoods that limy no! he sold, morlgaged. or ncgolialed in any way!' Another important point is. who is to he held responsible:' Will the Land Ihinrd or Ihe Land Commit lee he able In make purchase* of land on their own initiative with no direct responsibility In Parliament'. and so have ,i repetition of the system which was adopted by the Government at present in power in ihe purchase of land for

soldier settlers, ihe value of which has been written down hy some C2.(.'09,000. How Mr Holland and his comrades are going lo avoid Ibis will have to lie stated, seeing I hut al the presold time supply and demand ate the controllers of values. FURTHER (,)I'Ll! ILF. Supposing also Mr Holland lias now bought and paid for (he land lie has expropriated in lannis I lull will lie practically worthless (it is not much use cxpceliug (lie hard glittering stuff, unless he raids the banks, but even they may run short), his next problem will U- in -elect those who will work (he laud lo ihe best economic advantage. iTi:ii i- to the -alisfaeiioil of Ihe Land Hoard, if not (o themselves, but (here is sure lo he a dispute lichveen -onie of the pariie-b-eennse a good many unsuitable persons will lie looking lor oa-v itium-v and easy time.-, si a splendid opportunity will he afforded them under Lahour's ''Usehold'' Policy. These petty bickering- will lead, perhaps. t< > worse, culminating in an upheaval or revolution, which is the very thing the Soealists toll us to-day would happen if I lie capitalists were nor strong enough. Il ihe “Usehold" Policy over conies into force the position in the course of a very short time would lie Oilhertian, if not tragic. Of course there will he the industrious farmers who will try to do their best until they sicken through heavy taxation, and sometimes had crops. The taxation will have to he paid if the employees of the other Departments of State are to get all the beautiful things the T.alwur Party lias promised them. Another aspect of putting settlors on the expropriated land, is the ((iiestion of finance. If the settler has no capital, hut is desirable in all other ways, is

the Lalxutr Party going to finance him. and if so. whore is the money •coining from, seeing that the State Advances Office, cannot satisfy the financial needs of the country at the present time hy a long shot ? HOW SUCCESS COMES.

Some of the most successful tanners of the present day do not owe their success to any form of luck, but to their own great and untiring industry. whilst there are others who are as equally successful, hut they mve their success to their wives, and these are the people the ‘•F-'hok'l” Policy would hit most. Help for the small farmer from the Labour Party is mythical. and should receive tee contempt it deserves. DIFFICULTY OF HOP ROWING Under the “Usehold" policy the farmer will find it very difficult to

borrmv money for stock or development purposes, for who will want to lend to a man who may bo turned ofi his property (or rather the State’s—community's it' you like—property, lor he is liable if he does not work it) at the caprice of Air Holland or the Land Hoard, who will also probably tell the farmer whether ho can let or sell his holding (no matter whether the amount of work he has put into it be great or small) if lie desires a change of climate, or has to shill tor ether reasons-. If he is permitted to sell lie will have to take the price put on bv the Land Hoard because ihe Labour Party do not believe in high land values.

THE FAKMEICiS NIGHTAIAItE. For the farmer that lias to employ labour the “l sehold ’ Policy will also he a nightmare of the first magnitude. In the first place he will be bound by law to carry, on as il tbcie was no (probability' ol icxpropriaiioit banging over bis bead and in tile .second the law will most likely place

him at Hie mercy of t: 1 - employees. 1 11: -c ir is the boa-ted creed of the I.a bon r Party tins 1 there v. ill k.o a fair day's ]>:t\ tor a lair day s work (what

constitutes a fair day's work in a farmer's day will have to be made plain, for lie has an off reason) with ideal housing conditions, but how they are going to carry out the programme is difficult to forecast, for the farmer has to depend on supply and demand fur bis revenue, and il he nus a run of hail luck or uidurtuuate sea-

sons, it is a moot point whether he will be allowed to shorten hands, that is judging by the altitude ol the I uions at the present time ween a firm in- company finds ii necessary to iodine staffs for economy sake, and not tor dividend producing as the Socialist" aver. Supply ami demand may be placed in the category of those things , which neither require nor are capable

j.f proof, but are self-evident truths and all the cranks in file world will not alter them. If Hm farmer is com)*:*!!u**.i 1:: winploy liis labour t hrow inout the year and in bad seasons and good, some one will have to suilet ■ Inn- whether il will be the farm-os am! their lab. Hirers, or the rest of the community, who will have to !>a\ extra, taxation, no one knows, hut it

Ihe Labour Parly has a scheme il will he availed with interest. THE S'YOliD til’ PA.MtK.'!. F.S. I’erlu.os the greatest weight which V.- ill be Upon ihe farmers’ minds, will t lio-e who have exprnpriatimi hanging over (heir heads. They will he allowed e> live in their houses, callivate their farms, and draw llicir hard earned cash tor whatever HuStale pa vs i hem in) for i Heir p-rodueP. | In* Siiiiv* 11:ih li!f)K**{ tlu* wmj ;M - j, ; ,i t ion !jy iiu wiiu* :mtl >i| l' i ’ 1 ' I and perhaps a capital levy. Ibe Lnlamr t tov-ronu-ni will be aide to do all this because they have as a |>recedonl the ro-lleli system of eoulrol instituted by ike |:'.'e -ant (ne. eminent. and all Ini- applies m the product:; of die fanners. The tanners have meat control, butter control. ~om > control, fruit control, whilst there ate clamant cries for egg control. It will 1,., en-ilv seen that alien Labour cure, ei'ml rnl of 1 lie Treasury Hem lies they will have a go id argument b>'' till- control of the universe, but it ,-,-sts will! the- people whether the power is given to Labour or not to exercise additional control. IDI.K 'EX PKOPHIATEP LAND. AYbil" talking of taxation it "ill be appropriate to reninik ibat when Mr Holland collars the squatters Lind, cr the small farmers' if they do nol work il to iidvanfage. and the Labour Header cannot find settlers te 1 „p the allot men Is, the land will not only be lying ink- and denreeialutg. toil will also be not ! l,u F l '' ,luring ter the Male. m» tints once |'cc community will be bit. o‘‘s;i,!es Imving the sorry spectacle ol a mac great dairv jirodm-i ng country

importing its butter and other l' ro ' ducts that it is well, able to supply in :i bn in la lie" under ill" U resell l system ~i land tenure with judicious rdmiu-i-tral ion. (N UNPLEASANT DIFFERL.NC l'. Wiii'ii the "Usehold" Policy I I-.,ugh) into operation, if ever, it will I- ■ found thal ii is another instance of ihe unpleasant diil'erom e between Socialistic theory and economic fact. A Wellington paper very ably put Ihe V, hole (,liestion ill a nutshell, when it mi (d lii point of tael, the agrarian policy of the Socialists is on a pur with must of their < raz.v t hemic*. For the fanner, as '.veil as lor toe mortgagee. the “usehold" tenure would he a day-long nightmare; there would l.e all inesi apahle sense ol insecurity which could not help hut lead to the detriment of primary production. Experience tells us that nothing is more conducive lo agrarian prosperity than a system which assures in the right mail a permanent slake in the country. r ! he Ircehold [entire lias been tried and not found wanting. The “usehold” eonouet ion. under the niisero.-eopo. looks perilously like a tliinly-eaiiioullaged principle involving possible e>udiseal ion. In point of (net. it is confiscation ol the holders' hard earned property.