OUR POLITICIANS.

Northland Age, 27 September 1904, Page 3

OUR POLITICIANS.

THE COUNTRY DISTRICTS. Mr. Vile (Manawatu): Out of about £1(5,000,000 that we produce annually, eleven million pounds’ worth comes from the country districts. I say the country districts are already sufficiently highly taxed under present conditions, when, as I say, they have to find the hulk of the requirements for 'hospitals and charitable aid and tho keeping-up of the road* generally in the country districts.

: -U STATE: SERFS. :; fu a Mr. Vile (Manawafc) i f The State, to my mind, is the worst possible landlord for a tenant to be under. The State has no soul but Statute law, and consequently Crown tenants aro nothing mbre than State rtetfs. But, though Wc may be State serfs, wc arc not political serfs; and I, at any rate* intend to do battle larrtfc -'fltete teffs until they get, the right go (freedom if they so desire; If any man Ms a msec and wants to remain a leaseholder of the Crown, let him by ■All means remain so, but I want to give the privilege to those men who ore the backbone of the country .to obtain the freehold if they want it. IJ' -■ THE LAND'QUESTION. Mr. Vile; I have a telegram in my hand which was to-day sent to the Leader of the Opposition from some constituents of the member ior Taranaki. It is as follows: “ Farmers’ Union, over one hundred members, favour your amendment to the Premiers’ Land Commission motion." Mr. Ltiurenson: Who takes any notice of the Fanners’ Union ? Mr. Vile : You will take notice of the Farmers’ Union some day. The day was when the honourable gentleman thought he could tear tho Farmers’ Union to pieces, but it did not come off, and the day lias passed for the honourable gentleman to intimidate the,Farmers’ Union. OCCUPANCY OF LAND. Mr. 3. C. Thompson (Wallace); The occupancy of land must be based on a reasonable, scientific foundation, upholding without annihilating,tho individual, leaving his freedom and initiative unfettered, Our-policy niiist ;do justice to alb to tile State as well as to the individual. Land must ho made easy of access, and monopoly by aggregation and disuse must be prevented. ROYAL COMMISSION.

Mr, Remington (Rangitikei): I trust that the Government will see that the Royal Commission travels to all parts of the country where there are Crown tenants —that the Commission will not put the tenants in the position of having to travel many miles at considerable expense in order to meet them. It will he much easier for the Commission to reach tho Crown tenants, and they can obtain from the various Commissioners of Crown Lands schedules showing where the Crown tenants are. A day or two here and a day pr two there in every land district, and they will be in a position to bring up a report which will be of great value and service, and show us unmistakably not what are the wishes of the freeholders, but of the people interested in this agitation the Crown tenants of New Zealand.