THE LAND BILL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8816, 18 May 1907, Page 3

THE LAND BILL.

Important Statement by Mr McNab.

Per Press Association Ashburton, May 18. Interviewed by an Ashburton Guarlian renorter the Hon. R. McNab said in regard to the Land Bill and Endowment Bills ;|So few of the members absolutely oppose all endowments that I have, without hesitation, even in the face of the continued and uninterrupted hostile votes declaring for option, as in North Island, stated that the Laud Bill will he put on the Statute Book and I see no reason to doubt that the endowment provisions will also be put on the Statute Book. There is no alteration in my views as to what is likely to happen except that I cannot profess to indicate tho exact area that the Committee on the LiU w ill finally settle on for endowments. Xu the Land Bill the freehold winch wo olter by auctioning land and protectiug tenants’ improvements may not b' carried but freehold at the ongi- j nal v due will not bo earned. I still - holi- ve the proposals which will prove accept ible will bo our 00 per ] cent proposal, based on the original value* but time will show whether I am right. I have been astonished at members’ unanimity regarding the limitation proposals. Men who were strong against us on the area of endowments arc prepared to go further than we are in limiting private os-1 tatas. They have astonished me with their limits of value or rate of graduated tax. I think the decision of the House on tho limitation proposals will astonish many people who think they know what tho House is going to do. Continuing, tho Minister said, in regard to the Hew Plymouth byelection Government lost 'ground there, owing to a divided vote for, the Liberal Party. It seems to me that it must always have that effect when two men of standing are on one side and are both strong men, and Air Malone was without doubt a strong man. No doubt Mr Okey would never have seen the House if my “Absolute Majority Bill” had been on the Statute Book.

A suggestion in connection with the Olydedale estate brought forth the reply: “We could not come to terms, the estate was not missed. Government simply couldn’t come to within 10s of tho price required. All negotiations between Government and the owners were off before the purchasing syndicate appeared. You see other people when_ they have bought and snbalivided for sale au estate can auction, it and recoup themselves easily, but wc cannot. We had not to compete with the syndicate at all, for they didn’t go near the property till they got word from ns that onr negotiations -were off. Another property, too, the same syndicate stood out of while Government was negotiating and we secured it. The .syndicate acted -very honourably. There will be a big debate in the House in regard to Clydevale. Tho public, have got interested over it and Toni McKenzie is oil tho trail. ’ ’

“How is it yon could not negotiate ?” the reporter asked. 11 The reason,” said tho Minister, “is that wo have got to open up ground with roads before subdivision, and experience has shown that tenants will put up- with far less from private landlords in tho reading of property than from the Government. When we cut up property we have got to distribute the total cost over the whole land, and then tho successful man is determined by ballot. If 300 men wanted one section we don’t got one single penny more th.au if only_ one wanted it. The private individual might got 50 per cent more ou ac--couut of these 800 competing. Take that all over the property and 10s an acre is nothing. Yoti can very easily regard'dos as nothing on a property when there is that distinction. ’ ’ “If under the Lauds for Settlement Act you had the power to auction leases you could afford to buy at the highest price?” “My answer to that,” said Air McNab,“ would bo undoubtedly, and the more active the land market is the more we feel onr disability, because vendors won’t mention terms or give a firm offer for any length of time. The result is that outside buyers intervene and anticipate tbo action of the Government. A property was put under off'ciqto us tho other day, and before the statutory formalities could be complied with another person had it at the same figure.” ’ , _ , ‘‘ To sum up in regard to the Laud Bill,” said the Minister, “I still feel very confident, and still think my autioijmitou will turn out to ho correct. ” , , , . ■ In conclusion Mr McNab remarked ; “I sec from a telegram that the Taranaki Farmers’ Union Conference opposed any method of dealing with native lands which would crctato native landlordism. They want country, and, like the inoft, the freehold of the Maori over his laud is to be destroyed by men who profess that they will defend the freehold to the last breath. No, ll’ve got nothing to stiy about it. 9 J