FREEHOLD FOR ALL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 477, 5 October 1928, Page 16

FREEHOLD FOR ALL

FARMERS’ BANK SHOULD BE LAND REFORM REDEEMS PLEDGE (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, Thursday. Echoes of historic battles over the land question were revived in the House of Representatives on the second reading of the Land Laws Amendment Bill, which, as outlined by the Hon. A. D. McLeod, provides for giving freehold titles to Cheviot lessees, and for a new form of acquisition of existing properties by means of a groupsettlement scheme. The Minister said the Bill was intended to redeem in part the pledge of the Reform Party, which came into power on a promise to give the freehold to all Crown tenants who desired to obtain it. The Government recognised the leasehold as a valuable adjunct to settlement, but those desiring to obtain the freehold should be able to get it. Considerable strides had been made in this direction and the Cheviot estate was the last remaining area of considerable extent where tlfe freehold had not been granted. Under the Bill, also, the Crown would acquire privately-owned rural lands on behalf of a group of purchasers of financial standing, and allot without competition the subdivided areas to the intending purchasers, either for cash or on deferred payments spread over a term of 34J years. Mr. M. J. Savage considered it strange that the Government proposed to give the fee simple to an estate successfully cultivated by lessees. Reform had gained power by promising the fee simple to Crown tenants, and the present move looked like a bid for the votes of the Cheviot tenants. Altogether the Bill took a student of land settlement back to the and the battles of the old Liberal-Labour Party, headed by John McKenzie, to provide facilities for settlement. Mr. McLeod: Reform has settled twice the amount of land settled by McKenzie. Mr. Savage: And has secured twice the number of bankruptcies. Mr. Lysnar said that Labour was still dallying with “usehold.” It was on the fence, and was frightened to say which side it would get down. Mr. E. A. Ransom said that the Bill was an unexpected sign of life in the Government’s land policy. The Hon. O. J. Hawken said that the Bill would be valuable. He pointed out that the compulsory taking of land was expensive, as legal costs were huge. The old Liberal Party had found that out. The success of the Cheviot enterprise was due to the cheapness of land and subsequent increase in values. Such appreciation in values could not, however, continue. A halt had come now, and this fall was thefirst general decline in the history of New Zealand. The success of farmers, he added, could not be assured unless they made their land their bank, putting their savings into it. Mr. J. A. Lee said that Mr. McLeod's speech on the introduction of the Bill had simply been an apology for doing nothing. Labour had been charged with having three policies in nine years, whereas they now found Reform enunciating two policies at once. The Bill was read a second time. The Bill was committed and passed, the House rising* l at 12.55 a.m.