“A PROBLEM!”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1974, 8 May 1919, Page 1

“A PROBLEM!”

PREVENTING LAND AGGREGATION. INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE INTERESTED. The subject of land aggregation was touched upon by Mr J. M. Johnston in the course of his evidence before the Industries Committee of the House of Representatives, at Palmerston on Tuesday last. Mr Johnston stated that in one week he had in mind there had been as much as £IOO,OOO made in unearned increment through land sales in the district. When he had concluded his evidence, Mr Johnston was questioned by members of Hie committee as to the extent of land aggregation in the district. In answer to Mr Forbes he stated that there was a good deal of it going on in a small way, and several men had acquired a good many farms in the district .since the war, while up country in the sheep districts there had been a certain amount of aggregation. He did not think it had b:e. going on to an alarming extent, but it was sufficiently pronounced to an extent ih.w it should not be allowed to take pie. o’,’. Incidentally there was some of !nis land which could have boon p:\ aired by (be Government in (be past for closer settlement a; a reasonable figure, but at present the owners wore asking a little too much for it. He considered that the Government was perfectly safe in giving up to £BO an acre for lirsti i;.;,' . land n; 1 Ins district jov solil.ei set Cements. To go beyond this figure was, he thought, a little risky, that was when they look into account the added cost of cutting up a block and improving it, unless the farmer was a practical man. thoroughly capable of going in Cor intense cultivation.

Mr Hornsby: Could you suggest anything to this committee that would provide a way of preventing aggregation of land !

Mr Johnston: That is a problem. I see that in the Old Country they tax it.

Mr Hornsby: They have not succeeded in cutting it up much, though. The Chairman: Do you believe that it would be possible by statutory enactment to limit the area which a man should hold ?

Mr Johnston: Yes, I think so

After further reference had been made to the matter by the committee, in the course of which members emphasised the difficulty of coping with the situation, Mr Johnston remarked: If the Government won’t do ;mytiling they ought to go and take the land.

‘‘Young man,” said the pompous individual, “I did not always have this cai’riago. "When I first started in life I had to walk.” “You were lucky,” chuckled the youth. “When I first started in life I couldn’t walk.”

Father; “You sat up very late with George again, Doris.” Doris; “Yes, father; I was showing him some of my picture post-ctu'ds.” Father: “Well, Doris, whenever ho wants to sit up again, you show him some of my gas bills.”

The Bank of England once issued an order forbidding clerks to wear moustaches during business hours! This remarkable order afforded the public so much amusement that it was soon cancelled.