NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 51, 9 October 1924, Page 2

NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

FREEHOLD FOR THE TENANTS. Mr. Hockly Repeats Appeal. Legislation This Session. Introducing discussion on the third reading of the Lands Bill in the House of Representatives this session, Mr. F. F. Hockly, M.P. for Rotorua, repeated his appeal for legislation this se- ion to enable settlers on national endowment lands to secure the freehold of their sections. He said:— “If there is one tiling I want to congratulate the Reform Government upon it is the steady and maintained advance with regard to the granting of the freehold to Crown tenants. Steadily and surely one branch of Crown tenants after another have been given this very valuable privilege, but there is a coping stone still required. I want to point out. to the present Minister of Lands that it is in his hands, and will be his privilege, to put on that coping stone. There is to-day, so far as the actual tenants of Crown lands are concerned, only one class of tenant who has not the right of freehold. I am not referring of course to education reserves, but to lands that can definitely be regarded as Crown lands. These people are of course, as the House knows, holders of national endowment leases, and I want to make a further and last appeal, before the Bill goes through, to the Minister to deal with this matter this session. In the last session of a Parliament it is difficult to overtake the whole of the work that comes up for settlement, and I -would earnestly impress upon him the danger of allowing the opportunity of this session to pass. The second session of a Parliament is always regarded as the working session—the session in which the most valuable work is done—and I think it would be a thousand pities, in view of the expressions of opinion we have had this session in regard; to the freehold by members of the House, first upon the report of the Lands Committee in connection with a petition from certain national endowment tenants praying for the right of the freehold, and again lasf nig-ht upon the Wellington City Mangahao Endowment Sale Empowering Bill—in view of that twiceexpressed opinion of the House in favour of the freehold—l think it would be a. pity that this valuable opportunity that has presented itself during the session of dealing with this matter should be allowed to pass. I do not want again to-night to deal with the various aspects of the question. I think I have done that every session I have been here, but if there is one thing - close to my heart, if there is one thing I am anxious aric! keen about and want to see given effect to, it is the matter of dealing with this question of granting the freehold to these men.

“ Time and time again it has been said that in doing so we are making an attack upon these endowments. I contend that we are doing nothing of the kind; we are endeavouring on sound practical Tines to make these endowments more valuable and to benefit still further the various funds for which these endowments were first instituted. From the standpoint of the State, and from the standpoint of the endowments themselves —that is to say, the various objects for which the Endowment Fund is devoted—and particularly in the interests of the tenants and the men who have made such an heroic struggle, and who to-day are finding their backs to the wall and declaring in absolute terms that unless something is done, and done this session, they will have to go out, it is essential that the whole question should be tackled.” j