"FUTILITY."

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 636, 14 September 1933, Page 7

"FUTILITY."

govt land policy STRONG ATTACK LAUNCHED BY EX-CABINET MINISTER. HARM DONE BY DELAY. Wanganui, Saturday. A Wanganui Herald representative this week waited on Mr. W. A. Yeitch", M.P., and asked the member for Wanganui if he would express his views for publication upon the reason of the failure of the land settlement scheme which was adopted by Parliament last session for the relief of unemployment. The newspaper representative pointed out to Mr. Veitch that while it may be true that a few large landowners have offered their land, the scheme in general failed, because it has been a case of all deman^ and practically no supply. In reply Mr. Veitch said: — "The Small F.axm Plan is an exeellent scheme which, if vigorously administered, would prove a great help to many who are in need, and a permanent solution of a substantial portion of the unemployment problem. The new settlers would become users of New Zealand-manufactured goods, •, thus stimulating seeondary industries, ( whose employees would in turn become consumers of New Zealand primary products. * "In this way reciprocal internal 'trade would be promoted' with all J round benefit. I do not know how j many applicants there are throughout j the Dominion or how many of them have been successful. "So far as I can judge a few hundreds have been placed in districts in which Crown lands were available before the initiation of the scheme. In :a.ll other parts it appears to have failed, and for one reason only, namely, .inaMlity to make suitable land available on reasonable terms. | But this one weakness vitiates the | whole scheme. "No scheme of land settlement will be adequate that only puts a few hundreds on the land. With at least 70,000 genuine unemployed it is necessary to provide for the placing of thousands, and if it is to meet re- j quirements, it must operate in every j district between North Cape and Bluff. Determination Required. "I am convinced," said Mr. Veitch, "that the Act of last session, if administered with determination, could be made to produce these results if the law was amended as recommended herein, and at much less cost than any previous scheme of land settlement and with better prospects of permanent success. "As already stated, the only cause of failure is inability to make suitable land available. It is in this direction 'that I urge the necessity for an extension of the policy, for without it, the people who need land cannot get access to it. "By passing the Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment) Act of last session, Parliament has adopted land settlement as an important part of its scheme of unemployment relief. We, having expressed that policy in words, need to prove our sincerity by translating it into action, or we must acknowledge defeat. Compulsory reduction gf interest rates, the moratorium, subsidised labour, and other things designed to help the small farmer have also strengthened . the position of those who hold too much land. These, with the additional advantages of exchange manipulation and the repeal of the graduated land tax, have placed the holders of large estates in an impregnable position. Graduated Land Tax. "In this connection I recommend that a new f orm of graduated land tax be enacted by which all large estates ehall be classified into three classes. "Class 1. — Large estates unsuitable for subdivision. Class 2. — Large estates suitable for subdivision, but not urgently* required. "Class 3. — Large estates suitable, ■and urgently required for subdivision. "Class 1 to be exempt from 'this special tax, on the ground that it is unfair to apply a subdividing tax to a property that is unsuitable for subdivision. Class 2 to bear such special 'graduated land tax as will be a constant inducement to holders to subdivide their holdings and a deterrent against aggregation. "Class 3 to include the more valuable properties adjacent to existing publicly-owned railways and roads. This tax should be such that subdivision would pay better than aggregation or retention, and such as will make these lands actually available within ,a -reasonable time for occupation by the people, on terms that will ensure fthe geneijal success of the scheme. "I also recommend that specific provision be made that in all cases in which owners of class 2 and class 3 estates seek the protection of the moratorium , their land shall thereby be made available for subdivision on terms that will be fair and reasonable as between the respective interests of owners, mortgagees and prospective settlers. The administration of this provision to be vested in the mortgage adjustment commissions. Compulsory Acquisition. "Also the needs of the present situation render it imperative that provision be made for such form of compulsory acquisition as will place it beyond doubt that in the event of all •other methods failing, the Crown will still be assured of getting all th'e land necessary for the success of the policy. "It may be thought," added Mr. Veitch, "that these proposals are too drastic, but they are less aggressive than the legislation of early Liberal Governments when the need of land for settlement was not nearly so pressing as now. In the face of all the facts much more drastic measures could be justified. "In 1931 the ten-acre scheme ' brought hope and then disappointment to many whose needs were urgent. Last session the small farm, plan brought fresh hope and again disappointment to many whose needs in the meantime had become more pressing. , N Valuable Time Lost. "In this wa.y two valuable" years of possible settlement have been lost," added Mr. Veitch. "Meonwhile the

distress of unemployment is an ever- , increasing quantity and the burden of unemployment taxation becomes more difficult to bear. "It is urgently necessary that further time should not be lost in futility, and it is in the hope of averting such a national misfortune as that that I earnestly urge action as suggested herein. The people are entitled to expect that the implied promise to make land available for settlement as expressed in the Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment) Act of last session shall be fulfilled."