LAND SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 9

LAND SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL.

MR MASSEY'S VIEWS. (FBOX OUB OWK COBRESPONnEST.} AUCKLAND, August 4. ' The statement made in regard to the Special Settlement Finance Bill by Di Findlay, at Christchurch, was referred to the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Massey stated that the. bill was not a new one, as it had been introduced and circulated during last year' 6 session, "In speaking then with regard to the proposal, I offered to support it."' said I Mr Massey, "if the Government would proceed with the measure. I said where anything is proposed which will tend to the successful settlement of the country and which will assist and encourage the settlers of the country, then such proposal will have the hearty assistance and loyal support of every man on this side of the House. But the Government did not proceed with the bill. It was numbered) with the slaughtered innocents at the end of the session, and I could come to ro other conclusion than that it was simply introduced for electioneering pin poses. I repeat my offer of 1908, and ask them | to put the bill through during the coming I session. Dr Findlay seemed to think, or at all events desired to leave the impression, that the Danish system of settlement vaa Socialistic. It is nothing of the sort, because it encourages individualism and individual ownership in every possible way. It is distinctly individualistic, and encourages freehold just as the New Zea-t land system is Socialistic, because it tends to State ownership, and in most cases denies the freehold to the settler. Dr Findlay says that Mr Massrev and some of his friends have a haunting fear oi Socialism? Fear is scarcely the word. 1 think Socialism is a mistake. That is, 1 believe that any State which nationalises land and nationalises industry will come to grief. I do not believe thut Stats ownership in one country can compete with private enterprise in another I can respect an honest Socialist, however I may differ from him, but I cannot possibly have any respect for men who are one day Socialists and the next day individualists, just as it appears to suit their purposes. '