First Sitting of Land Commission

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7745, 22 February 1905, Page 2

First Sitting of Land Commission

Ellis to be Ekiited Wiitli (I'or I'resH AssoclatrcfliJ^^^l u',Ki,Lisoix).\, pubTq^H All the Ministers were present «PH meeting of ( the IXocutivw called for uhjo purpose ot-tonKidering the sentence, of death > pu**'J u|Kia James Willlawi Ellis, alia* John McKenzie, for UjfciuurdjDr of Leonard Colllntfoa on Feb. 2(1, I'.XM It this evening thut the had decided that the law snould takeitv course. The position now is that the condemned man must be hanged within seven duys of notice lieing given to the sheriff of the Cabinet's decision. The individual named Ijong who ha* acted as hangman on previous occasions, in now in Wellington.

(Per Press Association.) INVEItCAUUUX. KoU, 21

I The l>und Commission opened its sittings for taking evidence heretodajt all nr.'iubers save Mr JUcCutcb'eon being present. .Mr Kcundrelt, Mayor of Invercargill, was the first witness. He stated hat he had never been engaged In farming'. In rcgand to U« constitution of Land Hoards, Southland wag |H-ri'ccily satisfied. If Hoards were* jtV.ectedthe greater number would not vote. Hoards would be elected by ! leaseholders, which would not perhaps be in tire interests of the colW>.v. The lease-4«-pcrpetuky found (general acceptance, iK'ing practically us good as a freehold. He thought people should have the right of ac•futring the ireehudd. As a. land agent he found that people would not buy leasehold if they could help it. He favoured comimlsury residence, and the ballot system. People gul cxciUxi ut auctions, and gave double the urolier values. Under the ballot system people couW pay their way, and settlement was succes>/ul. The Oov.ernnfent deserved great credit for Uu 'Advances to Settlers scheoio, which had lowered the stnndaid of interest. | A loan on leasehold was not to be Bot on anything like Uk, as on a freeha-ld. He did not think V' M i rt -«WB«lpition of «- tat«» Graduated taxation w„uM prevent that. If i lle luajoritv °"£ settlers djd not want the fiwhold he couldsoe no reason why the option ,ahouki be withdrawn. It .nlsht be .Worth consideration that Crown tenants should have direct npprcsenU,tion on Und Hoards. Crown tenants were .dissatisfied wit*, the leasehold. He knew some were anxious to purchase a freehold because they (could Jjorrow money much easier, and Flu' I . larßer iuul to P»y 'or their freehold and provide more improvements. The present maximum area of first-class land, 610 acres, was .hardly sufficient, oven allowing for tho restricted area the colony afforded.

I 0. R. Hilton, market gardener, suid ho had a v Hugo homestead!. The JrtjelioW option trhould only he given j subject to stringent liuildinn regulations. Ho bad gone to the Advance* ;to Settlers office, amtcou.duot get a loan until a building had been ,l>ut up. lie bad also gone to otfc'cr financial institutions, and met with a idmJlar exitertence. His im'provcmviiU were valued aut £385, , Ultimately the Department agreed lo lend him £75, which he did not [tliinlc sufficient, and ho bad to go to a private leader and pay a very high .rate of interest. The freehold was |Wetter for cultivator* than the leasehold, if a Crown tenant were.4hjtitled to dlaim Uu-ee-fifUw of tho A'aluc of his improvements from tho 'Advances to Settlers Department | there would not be the bo mo objection to thedeaaohold. He, how .ever, would not suy that if the dug* 'gested alUaaltions In the law were Imade the leasehold would find a» much acceptance as the freehold. | John McQueen, farmer, attd manager off the Southland Frozen Meat [Company, staUsi that he had 1500 acres. He considered the leasehold a splendid system, enabling people I with mnall capital to go on the land. iThere should, however, be the option to aajemire the freehold. It was a ; mistake to think the Government l would bo inundated with capital if 'people were allowed to buy the freehold. It would be a gradual pro'cess. Lcnsc-in-pcrpctulty settlers at Knapdale, who had good land, did well; otheni were always iwor. Somo | of their lund should not haw been .cultivated till one hundred years hence. If the option of tho freehold ,»ero given Crown tenants ha would exi>ect only ten per cent, to take advantage of it, because settlers | would not have money to buy. Tenuis should not have representation .on Hoards. Estates had l«e«a voluntarily cut up in Southland. The [rabbit nuisance had been a moving factor, and taxation had alio induced of their disposal. In his opinion there was no danger of the abrogation of large estates In Southland, if right of purchase was given. Mi- Mclnerney, farmer, favoured the leasehold as (he principle of settlement, being partial to lease-in-ncruo-tuity< *^

Mr dibsgn said iL was the wish of settlers in his district that Uwy rfiould bo grunted the fnvho!d lTui improvement in Southland had oouiothing to do with the desire. The Commission adjourned at <m» o clock for luncheon-, and on resuming, no witnesses offering, adjournal till next day.

Sir John Hall was an Jnlcrestod auditor during the forenoon.