The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY. DECEMBER 3, 1928. A POSSIBLE BEGINNING.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY. DECEMBER 3, 1928. A POSSIBLE BEGINNING.

It seems likely if the baited Party will be allowed to get into its stride as an active government, that a land policy on definite lines will he an outstanding feature from tho beginning. Land being the chief source of wealth and the main avenue lor encouraging employment, will be the staple means to give the country a fillip as it needs. Sir Joseph Ward has indicated in bare

outline something of his aim to ensure more settlement, lie will have associated with him those who are keen advocates of more and more settlement and who will be ready to adopt an active policy to that end. In -Mr A. E. Ransom and Mr 0. W. Korbes lie will have two very able lieutenants who will lie ipiile capable of sponsoring a land policy on (lie lines of the former Liberal administration. It will md In l unlikely if Sir Joseph is cut rusted wild the task of forming a Ministry, that Hie former will be Minister of Lands and tiie latter .Minister tif Agriculture They will have their work to do, but they will approach it. we are sure, with a good deal of confidence, for they are men who have been very successful on the land, and should know their workwell. More land will lie found lor I lie people, and more settlement will ensue, for there will be the financial help from Sir Joseph’s proposals to revive the Advances Department to meet the requirements of the times. According to the official statistics, of the 13,090.t;(l0 acres now in occupation in this country, 2-1.(100,000 acres are held by 31!!” persons, and oil" these 15.000,000 acres are held by only 1082 persons, employing less than 51)91) men. An area equal to six-sevenths ol liie whole North Island is ael.ually hold by 3100 persons. The Departmental figures in successive Year Hooks prove Unit for a long time past there lias been no noticeable decrease in the areas ol the great esiates, and there is ample evidence to show that, on the oilier hand, a large amount of aggregation has gone on under the Reform regime. At the same time, in spite'of a great, influx ol immigrants in recent years, amounting to over 50.000 in the period 1921-2-1 the total number of workers employed on the land lias decreased by over 13,00(1 since 1923. The drift of notilation is steadily from the rural districts to the towns, and this is chiefly because there is not enough good land available for would-be farmers and settlers to take up. It was the failure of Reform to keep alive an active scheme ol land settlement- which contributed in no small degree to the party’s downfall. Certainly the sins of omission and commission in respect thereto afforded much ammunition for destructive criticism, and in the end it has proved fatal to the life of the party. As regards the Land for Settlement Act which the Reformers did not repeal. their use of it was little more than a matter of pretence. A contemporary says that an analysis of the figures available shows that the holdings broken up for settlement by the Reformers have averaged only 16/0 acres each, while the average areas of estates taken over for settlement by the Liberals was 5800 acres. On one important occasion the Relormers did take over a large amount of land from the great landholders, but- this was done on terms most profitable to the sellers and most onerous to the purchasers. After the war. under the pretonop of settling soldiers on the

land, the Reform Government expended flic whole of Sir Joseph "Ward's surplus of Cl 1,0(10,000, and a great deal more, in buying laud from the inon.ipolisls practically at their own price, and selling it. to the unfortunate settlers on terms that in a short lime effectually ruined many and imposed upon others an exhausting and intolerable burden. During the debate eii the Budget in 1919 Sir .Joseph Wail warned the House and the country of the inevitable consequences of the in-

Hal ion of land values in the interests of the great, landowners. To-d *y we realise the truth of his predictions and the 'lolly of the Reformers in the deplorable financial condition of the small farmers throughout the country. Largely as a consequence of the prodigious jtdkiiion of land values, due to the brilliant Reform idea of buying land from the monopolist at his own pi ice, our farms and rural holdings are mortgaged on such a scale that it is almost impossible to conceive any way ol releasing ibe unfortunate ‘•man on ‘no land ” ifrom his servitude. In the Railed States, the wealthiest country in the world, (lie farmland carries mortgages equal to 1!) per cent ol its value. But, in New Zealand, on the average, every worth ol ruial land carries Col in mortgages. So lai back as 1898 Mr Scddoit depicted in striking terms, for the benefit oi Parliament, Hie terrible condition of a farming population “enslaved to the moneylender.” But with all his statesmanlike prescience he could not loresee ilie ruinous consequences entailed upon !-is country by the land monopoly •fostered through the long asieinl nicy of Reform. So it will be agreed '.here is room to spare for an active land policy and here will be the great opportunity of Hie United Party to bring it about.