"A DAMNABLE SYSTEM."

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 40, 17 October 1913, Page 3

"A DAMNABLE SYSTEM."

ENGLISH LANDLORDISM CONDEMNED. . Wellington, October 13. The Prime Minister this evening bniist into a condemnation of the English system of landlordism, and with a .few short but fierce sentences sketched the fundamental reason upon which In's freehold policy was built (.states the correspondent of the Otago Daily .Times). "1 agree with the lion, member for Lyttelton," said Mr Massey, "that the, English .system in a damnable system, and. it is because I don't want to see it introduced into New Zealand that T, r am taking the stand I have ..upon the land question. What [want to see," lie continued "is a set ot men in tips country Owning and farming their, own lands—that is, owning the. fee simple. I want to .- < the system that we .are told existed in England 200 or 300 years ago—that, is, everyone owning his own piece of land —and I will never be satisfied until 1 see that that is possible." "I .am just as strongly opposed to the • system of landlordism as is the member for Lyttelton," added Mr Massey, "and I will tell him why my people came out here in '62. It was because it was not possible to obtain .a: freehold section in the North of Ireland. "We may make mistakes here, but this Bill is, jntrodueod with a perfectly i genujne desire to further the development of the land system of the country .aujcl prevent; anything like a system of^'landlordism coming into operation here." , , .