INFLICTED LAND VALUES

Hokitika Guardian, 15 February 1926, Page 4

INFLICTED LAND VALUES

OPINION OF HON. W. P. REEVES

AUCKLAND, Fob. 12. Some thoughtful conclusions as the result of Ids close examination of farming conditions in New Zealand were given in an interview by the lion. \N . Pember Reeves. He spoke particularly of the size of holdings and land values. Much development work had been accomplished in the last thirty years, but Air Reeves declares that there is much to do. “Anv visitor from an older country would "be struck by the areas of land in the Waikato that are yet unused,” lie said. “Some are still in fern and manuka, others are overgrown with blackberry, ragwort, or pennyroyal. Others, again, are swamps. I ant well awaro of the difficulties. People tell me, and I believe it, that some ol the swamps are most difficult to drain, that other neglected lands are native leaseholds, but one principal reason, and I must give it, is that many individuals are bolding too much land.” “Whenever t have seen a really dirty and neglected holding, I have nearly always found, after careful inquiry, that' the settler lias too much land for his capital, and cannot employ In hour to work it. A grout many nicn have failed to realise how intensive u business dairying is. However, the progress of the past thirty years has been wonderful, and I am convinced that the race of people that has got this country will not let it stand still.

“In another fifteen years productivity should be doubled if science is applied to the breeding of stock and improvement of the soil. If it has done so much in recent years, what will it not do in the future? Any who arc alarmed about falling prices should remember that science lias not said its last word, and there may be a great surprise in store. “There is another thing. All the testimony given me is that the younger generation of farmers, thanks to education, are much more open-minded and receptive of new ideas than the old-limo Tocky.’ who, with all his virtue's. was very tough, and intractable indeed. Also, I have been assured everywhere that one good effect of the slump is that in most districts the average farmer is taking his coat off. He spends little time at races and in arguing about local politics in the village ‘pub.’ ” Ou his tour of the Dominion, Air Beeves set himself seriously to find out the after-effects of the boom in land values, and particularly what proportion of farmers were gravely embarrassed. Although in some districts he found the proportion to he large, those districts were not so extensive as lie had thought. “Tlio inflation of values is a serious matter, ami the country will take a long while to get over it,” he declared. “I want to emphasise that it is a national trouble, I and gives occasion for great regret, but it does not mean that the country is on the edge of bankruptcy or is facing disaster. Our rural country, cm the Whole, is sound. I have not arrived at this conclusion hastily, but ’ after very careful consideration. The situation is had. hut not so had as I expected. The fall in land values has , been heavy and salutary in some districts land is fetching not more than ! one-third of what it once did. Speaking generally, most of the land has ! reached values which are pretty fair I considering present prices, j “Large districts, especially in the .goutli Island, have been and are almost : free from land speculation. In such districts there have been few changes !of ownership for many years. It is there that I have found the peoplelooking most prosperous.” 1 Asked in what wav he believed the troubles of the northern dairy farmer would lie overcome, Mr Beeves said the remedy was gradual further suhdiviI sion of the land. A typical dairying property, he considered, should he onewhich a man and his family could 'work to full advantage. “In Europe.” ■ said Mr Beeves, “dairying is regarded *as a peasant industry. Here it is , thought to he one for the substantial farmer, almost a landholder, in fact. .That, to my mind is not Ihv right , ideal. 1 should lie sorry to envisage a peasant population as rough and backward as those which inhabit many ' parts of the Continent, hut 1 believe that there should grow up in Now I Zealand a class of enlightened small holders, working dairy farms in the most efficient way by their own labour.”

Air Reeves finds find since the days of his own youlh the young man on the land in Xew Zealand has improved markedly. This lie attributes to education. health measures, the bettor rearing of children, the gradual effect of a splendid natural environment, a

long period of prosperity, and ol a social system which assures the humblest a docent standard of living anil a si|iiare deal. “The effect of this last in an educated rounlry is enormous,' ho said in conclusion, "One can see il in the laces of the people.”