Labour Chief Claims Right to Govern

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 382, 16 June 1928, Page 13

Labour Chief Claims Right to Govern

ALTERNATIVE TO REFORM MR. HOLLAND ON LAND POLICY Press Association NELSON, To-day. Labour’s claim to be the only effective opposition to the Reform Government was stressed by Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, at an address at Tapawera in the Motueka electorate last evening. Speaking to a large audience, Mr. Holland referred to the United Party as a most extraordinary political organisation, composed chiefly of remnants of the old Liberal Party and the more extreme element of the Reform Party. Those who wanted to see the Reform Government displaced had no choice but to vote Labour. Confining his remarks principally to farmers, Mr. Holland said that the Government promises to farmers in the pre-Government days had not been kept. In place of freehold it had given the farmers a most stupendous mortgage-hold. It had accomplished a staggering record of land aggregation and its policy had worked to drive men off the land. The Labour Party would substantially increase death duties on large estates. LAND FOR THE USER In regard to aggregation the Labour Party would endeavour to meet the evil by two methods. It proposed to graduate more steeply the land tax affecting larger estates, and, on the other hand, large estates would be acquired by purchase by means of negotiation, possibly compulsorily, where necessary. The price for land so acquired would be based on a fair valuation to be made by the Valuer-Gene-ral in the first instance, with an owners’ right of appeal in the event of his being dissatisfied with the valuation. The appeal board or court would consist of representatives of land owners and local bodies in the land district affected, with a representative of the Valuation Department. Land so acquired would be used for closer settlement purposes, and tenure would be on the perpetual lease sys-

tem, conditional on occupancy and use, with periodic revaluation and with conservation of the holder’s right to compensation for improvements. The existing tenures would not be interfered with.

The Labour Party's land platform declared in full the recognition of the owner’s interest in all land, including the tenure, right of sale, transfer and bequest, but the fundamental principle of occupancy and use would be strictly applied. The Reform Government’s policy drove men off the land, which was demonstrated by the statistics affecting land transfers. These showed that during the past 16 years there had been three transfers to every landholder, including landholders with less than an acre each, while the number of persons working on the land had been reduced within the last three years by well over 12,000. The Land Agency system grew out of and reacted upon the mortgage system and represented a heavy burden on both primary producers and consumers of primary produce. AGRICULTURAL BANK

The Labour Party made no attack on the individual land agent. Their attack was on the system, and they proposed to legislate to provide State facilities for making the necessary Mr. Holland contended that none of the land and income tax reductions in recent years materially benefited the working farmer. On the other hand, the relief to wealthy landholders was immense. ... The Labour Party proposed to inmate a State Bank with the sole right of note issue and with agricultural banks as adjuncts of the State banks. The Reform Party had crippled cooperative marketing. That day was the anniversary of the signing of Magna Charta. In Western Samoa New Zealand had abrogated the principles which every Britisher should uphold. In concluding, Mr. Holland said that a vote for the United Party would be a vote for Mr. Coates. The Labour Party was coming into office, and would not write laws in various class interests, but would set out to build a sound superstructure on the foundations that Ballance and Seddon had laid. Mr. Holland, who was loudly applauded, was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.