AGGREGATION “GOING ON.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2040, 11 October 1919, Page 3

AGGREGATION “GOING ON.”

‘ There arc three views of the aggregation and re-aggregation of land, says (lie Post. One is that no such thing exists (a quite common assertion when this journal undertook the onus of proof in 1011-12). The second is that it exists and should he permitted. The third is that it should he checked. After a good deal of wobbling, the Massey Government settled down to the third view, and passed some pre-war legislation to check aggregation. Today the Minister of Lands, Mr Guthrie, says that laud aggregation is “going on”: * “On three different occasions drastic proposals had been placed on the Statute Binds, but aggregation still wont on. This session a yet more drastic measure was to be introduced, and he thought that would be found effective.” Such a consummation, after a lapse of seven or'eight years, is admittedly something to l>e wished : yet experience breeds doubt. No antiaggregation measure is likely By he successful unless it is'administered in an'anti-aggregation spirit. And that spirit has not hitherto manifested itself in a Government which holds office by virtue of about one country seat.