SOCIALISTS’ ACTIVITY.

Putaruru Press, Volume VI, Issue 243, 28 June 1928, Page 4

SOCIALISTS’ ACTIVITY.

Perhaps the most significant feature of the Labour-Socialist Party’s political activities of the moment is the effort that is being made to bury the memory of its usehold ” policy. At every possible opportunity leading members of the

party drag in a paraphrased version of their new land policy, and with much display of virtue proclaim their intention not to interfere with, the rights under existing tenures. All that they are going to insist on apparently is “ the fundamental principle of occupancy and use,” which Mr. Holland, in his latest speech at Nelson, tells us “ would be strictly enforced.” What this means is not quite clear, but it has a flavour unpleasantly reminiscent of the disowned “ usehold ” policy. But the weakness of Labour’s land policy is the strong suspicion it arouses that the proposals now put forward merely represent a temporary watering-down of the original “ usehold ” policy to serve the purposes of the coming general election. That, instead of forcing their policy on the farmers in one bold step, they are proposing a strategic advance by stages to their objective, the abolition of the freehold. Those who doubt this view have only to note the whole trend of Labour-Socialist policy as affecting the man on the land. Mr. Holland, himself, in his speech at Nelson, made it clear that his party is wholeheartedly opposed to the freehold. He not only ridiculed the freehold policy as a mortgaged policy, but went still further in indicating that all land disposed of by his party in the event of their attaining office would be on the leasehold policy, with periodical valuations and subject to occupancy and use.—Dominion, Wellington.