SIR JOSEPH WARD

Hokitika Guardian, 24 May 1929, Page 3

SIR JOSEPH WARD

LAND AND RAILAA’AYS. (By Telegraph—Per Press Association. MOTUEKA, May 23. Nearly 300 residents of M'otueki Borough and from all over Motueki electorate met to-night at the banquef 'riven in honour of the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph AA’ard. In the course of his reply, Sir Joseph A\ r ard dealt with many matters of interest.

The Prime Minister said he could see the advantage the district would possess in being attached to the main trunk railway system of the South Island. It was idle to build up a scheme of short-distance railways; for shortdistance railways had in the past proved themselves absolutely useless in serving the country. They had drained the life blood of the main systems. Last year, £448,000 had to be paid out of ordinary revenue to meet the shortage on the working of the railways. The system of shortdistance railways was weakening the whole system. The time had come for the Government To attack the present system of railway finance, and to submit to Parliament some system for doing away with its short sections, and making the main system*--pay interest on the money invested in them. People living in the districts where there were short-distance lines,' h«* said, would have to he educated t understand that such lines could not compete with motor transport. Tha f was one of the problems that wouV engage the attention of the no>:i Parliament. TAXATION CHANGE.

There were other problems too, said Sir Joseph. Thev should not have a deficit of £570,900, as there was In*' year without doing something to mak it up. They would have to go into tin* question of this shortage, and tin* speaker was sure that it could be put right in a satisfactory way, but not without an adjustment of taxation They must deal with these problems as ordinary sensible men in charge of the affairs of the country. The Government would have to examine the whole position carefully, and must eliminate those taxes that were bearing unduly on some sections of the community, and must look round to discover what sections were not getting a fair share. They would have to take every Member of Parliament--no matter of what political opinion—into their confidence, and put the finance** of the country on a sound basis.

MORE STATE ADVANCES. Giving ai Ibricf outline of the poliev of the Government, Sir Joseph said that it consisted, first of all, in obtaining money in quantities a.nd letting it out at a cheap rate to the workers and settlers. The Premier said lie was very glad to be able to tell those present that, at Iho present moment, in advances to settlers and advances to workers funds, the Government had since assuming office cleared off all the arrears; and there was a substantial sum available For advances. All those who wanted money had to do was to send in their applications, and if the valuation was right the money was there for this purpose. There was plenty of money in the coffers, and there need be no pinching.

LAND MONOPOLY. Dealing with the Government’s lam' policy, the Premier said his Party believed in obtaining land and in finding people willing to go on it. There were some parts of New Zealand wliero land was held in large quantities by individuals, and it was the opinion of the Government that some of that land should be shared. A fair price would 'be given to the owner and the land cut up.

The speaker pointed out that today there were 15,000 less men on the land in Now Zealand than there were 10 or 15 years ago, and that was a serious matter. The backbone of the country was land settlement, and the amount of the exports sent out each year. Areas must he provided to let other men and women get on the land and add to the value of the country’s exports. Extra people must he induced to go on the lanei and make the balance right between the country and towns. The- Govern ment intended to buy land and t-> take part of the large areas. Briefly, their policy was: (1) To prevent aggregation of landed estates; (2) to cut up the land tliey were going to purchase, and induce people to go on it; and (3) to make cheap mono,* available. LAND BEING BOUGHT. The Government was engaged at present in acquiring land, and with that end in view, the Minister of Lands had been touring New Zealand from one end to the other, to -see what land was available. Eight or ten settlements had been acquired, and they would materially adel to th> number of people on the land and to the export. Reverting to the railways, the Premier reiterated the Government’s intention to complete the main lines, including the South Island main trunk, and the Nelson-West Coast line, saying ho felt sure the South Island main trunk would he a payable proposition.