A REFORM TRIBUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 22 April 1929, Page 3

A REFORM TRIBUTE

(Auckland Star.) The Minister ol' Lands should he gratified at the sincere compliment paid' to him last week hv one of the Dominion’s leading Reform newspapers. Thu •’Otago Daily Times,” discussing Mr Forbes’ declaration of policy, commends Inin for taking a vigorous forward step m the matter of land settlement. “The land policy of .the Reform Government,” says our contemporary, “had come in the end to r.e a policy of inertia, the hands of the Minister had apparently heioine paralysed;” aiid it approves strongly of Mr Forbes’ determination to nut now life into the system, even to the extent of invoking the compulsory clauses of the Bonds fur Settlement Act. hi its analysis of the land problem the “Otago Daily Times” states fairly and clearly the difficulties which the Minister has to face. Owners of large blocks of land suitable for closer settleiis ultimate logical conclusion. To all this the “Otago Daily Times” gives its explicit approval, and it must Ue a source of great satisfaction to those who hold the political principles so long associated here with the name of Liberal ism to find their policy sup •ported in these emphatic terms by one of the leading spokesmen of the Deform Party. When the lands for Settlement Act was first p.issed, and the policy of breaking up the great estates was inaugurated do years ago, the Conservative Press of the day was loud iii its denunciation of the new system, and prophesied dire consequences from the “spoliation” of the hapless landowners. Now after many years “the wheel has come full circle,” and we find the “Otago Daily Times” not only applauding the policy of compulsory purchase, ij lit pointing to Lite efforts of the landowners to evade their responsibilities, and urging the Minister to apply the very remedies devised by Balance, Soddon and MacKen/.ie to cope with such a situation. Those who have always clung to the Liberal traditions which (he. United Government lias inherited can require no more convincing and effective endorsement of their land poliev than this.

menl have placed their land under offer to tlie Government at prices so high that thoil* e:.uld be no reasonable prospect for settlers to make a living out of it. In some cases the price asked is double the amount of the Government valuation. Obviously if the valuation is too low it should lie raised at once for taxation. But most landowners maintain that their land is valued too highly by the State for revenue purposes, and they have thus placed themselves in a very awkward dilemna. However, tlie majority of the landowners who own land fit for closer settlement have made no move, but are simply “sitting tight.” To those* Mr Forbes has issued a warning, to the effort that unless they show themselves amenable to reason lie must try anothei method of approach. The law gives the State power to acquire land compnlsorily, and Air Forlms has assured tin* landowners that if necessary lie will not shrink from carrying his policy to