The Land Commission.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7835, 30 May 1905, Page 2

The Land Commission.

IV THE TARANAKI DISTRI'CJT. EVIDENCE* AT.NEW PLYMOUTH. Some of the members of the Land Commission, which has been touring j the colony to take .evidence, have now 'reached the Taranaki District, opening proceedings at Xew' Plymouth on Monday, When a silting was held at I the Council Chambers. • | This members of the. Commission present were' (Mr ,las. McKerrow (chairman) and .Messrs John Anstey,

W. A. llcCutelum, J. T. I'aui. Mr Okey stated at the commencement of proceedings that he wished to make a protest against the division of tile Commission ;u taking ev dence in this, one of the principal land districts in the colony. Tho full Commission had sat in - the South Island, and every hamlet visited, but in Taranuki only a portion of the Commission was sitting, and the evidence would have to be read over to tho'other members. Such a course was not satisfactory, as the readingof evidence did not have the same effect a? hearing it directly from the witnessi f.

; The-;( hairman expressed regret, but stated ■ hat the division , had been determined by certain circumstances over wh'oh they liaii no control. I James Burgess, freeholder, of Warea, was the first witness, -representing the Warea Farmers' Union. He mentioned that the settlers had not been given sufficient notice of tho sitting of the Commission in this district, and two members of tho Union ware unable to be present. The settlers witness represented declared the 1 freehold was the only satisfactory tenure. There was no reason why freehold should not be Tho system tended to create independent men who could, vote without fear or ■ fayour. Leaseholders could 1 do the same, . but. sometimes things worked against them, and they were not in the same independent position jks the.freeholder. He objected to tho system of valuation. They did not favour landlordism, private or other- 1 wise, but every farmer should be given the•' opportunity of acquiring a freehold- of his own. To the Chairman: There were some settlers in the Warea district under the lease-in-perpetuity system, and they all desired to get the oJ>tion of the froehold. To Mr Paul : The value of land was. increasing in the district by reason oftt'the settlors' own''efforts.' Witness titojttted " W any- form of lease without a purchasing clause added. The principal objection to the lease-in-perpetuity Was the' q^es j -lion of raising money on the land, and the uncertainty of the 999 years' lease clause being observed. Ho was »f opinion that under unsettled conditions there was justification for the prevailing uneasiness on the latter point. In regard to the deferred payment system, he favoured the extension of tho term, and the payments being correspondingly reduced. ■ln regard to "loading" blocks for road making, he would be in favour of giving settlers the necessary money for road, construction at five per cent., instead of loading in perpetuiM ty. lie w;is in favour of a third of the nhniial' value of cash sales ' going to local, bodies. Safeguards, he thought.' were necessary to prevent the aggregation of land, , Taxation was the simplest method of obtaining this object, while legislation would prolrSably produce dummyism and not be detected.

John W. : Foreman, who said he held 400 ..acrss freehold and 000 leasehold " from the Public, Trustee, favoured a cash purchase or any lease witii right of purchase. Tho lcasevin-perpetuity "Should' -not' 'be abolished, but the right at purchase was a. great incentive t,o a ;man of small means, and 'he Would evfih advocate purchasing il by instalments at any time. On the whole he had gathered that the Advances to Settlers Oillce had been of benellt to tho district. Ho was opposed to revaluation. The conditions of residence on Crown lands .on rough back icountry, with lack of roads, were

rather cruel il enforced. This was particularly so when cases of sickness occurred l in families. In- some of the back'bloclte, alsjD, the children* wero growing up without education owing to the lack of facilities and. the great difficulties under which the parents strugglod. lie thought for these reasons thati the conditions should t;e relaxed in some places. The practice of leuding lands for roads was unsatisfactory. Tenants were not given information as- to how* or 'when the mtfney' was spent on roads, or what lotoding existed. A tenant >vq? charged with it all the tiiTi'e under 'ioasaMn-perpotuity, buti with a loan raised to do similar work it was wiped,, off in a certain number of year*. He contended that a man who went 'into tho ttidoblodks was fully entitled to any Increased yalue in - his holding abo,ve that of Improvement due .to his industry. Unless the Government. further assistance, he was sure .progress in settlement in the back district was hopeless. The task of constructing and maintaining- roads wa-f too groat without assistance from 'the (Jovern-mc-rit. As to relaxing C<#ndi'tions, he did not. think power on tho part of the' Land >oourc) would meet the case, but a ri;pid law could deal with the matter. To Mr McC'utchan : A settler had to reside on the land, in order 'to work it properly, awS tfie solution was for the Government to properly road the country Joefforo putting soti lers on the land. ' J. Were, freeholder,. Omata, complained that the loading of lands for road purposes was a mystery to tho sutllers, whQ 'did not know, how the money was spent. Q. T, Murray, district engineer, said thnlt he had charge of expenditure on the roads. The,money raised by loading had all been expended. Since 1892 the sum ''f li"'V'<l had- been spent in I*o Taranaki district. The figures were all shown ini tha annual report of tfco Lands and Survey Department. Jfhe money was totally insufficient 10 meet all flu} demands for roads. On tho same Olocks —forty-five in nurn)i^i- —£50,fl8<i loan money had been expended during the same period. There had also bsso loan moneys, expended iby the local bodies, hut he could (not tell the amount. There was no Jhope of constructing tha roads excepjt by the expenditure of a very large sum, of money by tho Government. .Co-op-erative labour, ho added, was sati;*lactory for ibridlo tracks, 'but not where a large expenditure was required. The loald-iiig charge ,was from 2s 6ci to 69 per -acre, depending on thf nuu(l/er of roads in a block. He did not think it woildi bo moro economical for 'tjifi local bodies to do the work. To Mr McCutchan : The loading was 110't even sufficient to make bridle tracks. He thought the roads should be formed by tlie Government before the tad .was taken up.^ To Mr Anstey : The land was being thrown open , top <|iAickly, <tnd sufficient anoney, was not. availajlj|le to make the. roadsThomas Morgan, representing tho Tarata settlors, stated, that he held 126 acres under freehold, and »vas a deferred payment itennnt for 26 years. He favoured the tenure, especially lor working wen. If it-,.was compulsory for a iawseholder toreside* the. name should apply to tho freeholder. The homestead system was usaless in Tananaki. Loading did not answer satisfactorily, and he, would give the settlers the land at ,l° wes t value and give them the privilege of - making their own roads. He thought the Advances to Settlers a good institution, thoiypi ho pointed out olio or two matters in which slight afmendmWt could bo made. E. M. Hurley, said ho had for 13 years held 196 acres of land at Uruti,, under the optional right of purchase. He thought at least a portion of the members of Boards should be elected periodically, tho voters being I confined to landowners or leaseholders. He was totally opposed to tho re-valuation of leases. Ho thought that if tho Government -would stick to their bargain under the lease in perpetuity, the tenants would be satisfied We advocated allowing tho leaseholder to take up the froehold undqr optional rignt of purchase in

which ci\se the "4 per cent -rental should be iiicreonod to 3 His experience o.f the Advances to to Set tlers Act Mad been sat isfactory He was not. in favour of the lam) district- being divided into wards and the members nominated li.v the <!<>- vermnent. from those wards In the State sale of the land there should bo some restriction as to area or value, of the land one mail could take up, «f settlement was to be for the | |lienelit of the country. The Government should sell the land outright, as in Canada. This would encourage thrift and individual effort. He had not studied the question of work 4 men's dwellings, but did not sec that the St:.te had any obligation in the matter. lie did not think the working lmn should have a vote for Land Hoards. He certainly thought .that it, would be wrong for the C!o----vernincit to re-valuo land held under lease in perpetuity. A bargain entered inin should be kept- Asked if the tenants should not also keep their part oi" the bargain, and be contented xv.i h the leasehold, witnwsi explained that at the time they took up the i.ind the tenants had no alternative but now wished to have the matter adjusted. Henr • Okey said that he had 1400 acres '>eehold and 520 under the optional i ,: ght of purchase. He thought any to ui-e that had the right of purchase w.is satisfactosy. \Wtiuss had no complaint against the land board. He thought the Government should hive a fair proportion of representation on the Boards', as they had to administer the land laws, but the tenants interested' should have representation by election. The general experience with regard to advances 1 to settlers was ihat a leaseholder could not get sufllcient. money advanced. He thought the Government could increase the amount by half, as they held tho land and all improveriients its security. He was in favour of tho Government supervising' the tenants' improvements. The nueati«n of unearned increment was a very hard one to settlr. Markets, freezing works, roads,* ©tC|., all added to the value of properties Assistance ' was urgently required for greater road facilities. He was awnro that to the cost of blocks for the provision of roads. He thought this could be put on a more satisfactory tfasis. An increased si\tfridy .on rates ; would to some ertent do away with grants. If tho subsidy were given £ for £, and nlso a subsidy on special ■ rates it would effect much improvement, but grants could not be altogether abolished. Settlement in this district had been hampered by lack, of roads. A great number of settlers

in tho buck blocks were in a worse 1 position than prisoners. They had no track and only enmo into civilisu- I tion about once in twelve months. Ho c was opposed .to ro-valuation. It I would be a great hardship to asK J teftants'to pay rent on the increased values. Every tenant should get tho 1 advantage of his own improvements, 'j He instanced cases in which improve- I menls were retarded under the lease-1 hold system. . j To Mr McCutchan He thought. | the Government would be safe in n<J" j vanclni* up to 80 per cent on smalt, holdings when the money was rcqiiir-, ed for further improvements. Tho amount now, lout on freehold was (55 I per cent. lie w'us in favour of roads j being fully completed before being j handed over to thb local body. H*. though I. thetU»i l( V 'H!fl arrived when one good-Steed. local body., should as. ; sumc control , of- the , certain j districts.As ,»'<* the. advantage _ of freehold. fitness , was satisl^Gtf, rhat, j had he been a leaseholder there, ."vws j a, time when he would have hAd to give up his ih«l4ing,,bvit, having?. gogd \ freehold he was. able ~to. raise 'sum-; cient uijuncy for«adoqjjate assistance. Edward Stevenson, -guilder, but formerly a. farmer in Otago, advocated the election of land boards, an<t periodical re-valuation. Richard Price, fanner, said that lie had for 80 years farmed 320 acres under freehold and leasehold. He wa* in favour of lease in perpetuity Witnotit re-valuation, and of conserving all the improvements to the man who made them. To Mr Paul —He thought the 'basis of land valuation should be on its producing qualities. John Brown said he held 500 acres at Mangorei on freehold. He represented the Carrington Road branch of tho Farmers' Union, The U&i° n were in favour of the freehold. Thcro should not be a bonus to people to keep off the land, by. nursing manufacturers, through the customs revenue. He thought the Government should lix the value of the land.and then it did not matter how thcy took it up. by lease or freehold. William 11. l)avies said, ho held <6O acres under lease in perpetuity and right of purchase. He preferred the right of purchase. He was opposed to the re-valuation of leases. He saw no fault with the constitution of the Land lloara. He was satisfied witk. the working of tho advances to setTo Mr McCutchan He would favour the term of residence on lease in perpetuity being reduced to six years, and improvument conditions 'being entoTo*Mr Anstey Ho favoured loading for roads. Facilities must be provided for roads and land was well able to bear loading, if goo® roadH were provided. ' To Mr Paul: He bad no objection to occupation with the right of purchase.. He thought tho deferred pajment system was superior. To Mr Anstey : The settlers could borrow money from the Government foT roads and pay tho Interest, .j'" o only advantage would be that they would have direct supervision of the money. He was only referring to tha by-roads, as he thought the Government could do the main roads with, greater advantage. Henry Wade, farmer, stated tnat ho held 264 acres in leasfr-in-perpo-tuity. He had been six years on tho section, and was not satisfied with his tenure, preferring the deferral payment system. He thought tne peri aid should |bio extended. On leasehold tho tenant should have tha right of purchase any time up to 80 years. He thought the administrar tion of the Land Hoard and the Advanccs to Settlers Act satisfactory. He thought tho Government should, put a oft track along the grade through any block proposed to be thrown open. The cost of this track could be iwklod to tho price of the laftd.

John Virgin, farmer, stated that he hold 982 acres. at Tarata under freehold. He appeared representing the Tarata branch' of the Farmers' Union, which had passed a resolution in favour of freehold, und the option should be given to a'il leaseholders. lie admitted to Mr J'aul that if the tenants the property at once it would bo mainly on borrowed money* To Mr MeCutchan : He thought the balloting system tinderiralile. A bona fide selector might be unfortunate in not securing a section, and in such a case 'the .Land Board should have power to grant him land. He would favour a system of examining applicants for land, and gtiving preference) lo> married men. The unsuccessful men should got preference on the next occasion. Bather than load the land he advocated that the (Jovernmenl should construct main roads, owl tliQ settlers by-roads by means ofloanß. David Herlihy sa'id lie held 290 a Urea under freehold. Ho preferred the system of a«h(k' n g the land on the deferred payment system, and for cash'. In his district, Kaimato, they had constricted good roads by loc.il loans.- ! i Gooiwo Beowftop, of Knimnto. who hfl3 acquired property oh the defer!red payment system, strongly advocated freoheflid, particularly advocating . deferred payments. Ho would restrict the area or value of land one individual could admire. Ho thought the present constitution of the Land Board satisfactory. Charles Tate, holder of 61.2 acres of freehold at Mannin,, was in favour of a frecholid tenuroon the deferred payment system.Alfred Pringle, farmer (chairman of the Moa Road BoUrd), said he furined 300 acres under freehold ond was an aKlvjoetate of " that tenure. Nearly atl the land in that locality was taken up on the deferred payment system, which had proved very ! satisfactory. Regarding roa'd admin- ' ie'tratioo, witness thoifeht idual con-

trol was not qegustu-y.:, SutaUcr' « county council districts, .each having U a community of interests, should O meet the case. He would favour tho w abolition of all itoad Boards. Theru .* were 22 Road Hoards in Turunaki 11< ( unity, and a lurge proportion of ;N their revenue wenl in staff expenses. I g Witness thought .the land should l< tear the cost of new road* load- I s ing- I* William Hale Said' he held 800 acres 1 fi —partly frctbold and portly Educa- b tion Board reserve. On behalf of the ■ Lower Egmont branch of the Farm- c ors' I'nion he advocated the freehold I: tenure. j Charles Billing, who held 400 i acres i.ndcr leuse-in-perpetuitj; .an 4 E option of purchase, favourtd'Uie right of purchase. The road facilities it < the upper Carrington lioad area were i inadequate. I To Mr Anstey : If the "loading" i for ro.Mls was not, sufllcient it shoulil bo inc. eased, as roads were essential. Willi-.m Thomas Jennings, state.' that he held 81 acres. He iiud uiv oxu-nsivd elect oruU> to go l throuirh, and found there had been great dissatisfaction at the working of the Advances to Settlers Act. He ha 1 got a return laid before

immilx rs last session showing Hint i there had bren 716 refusals to ad- i vance money on - leaso-in-perpetuity holdings since the inauguration of i the oll'.cc. He found that there was I general digsutisiaction with' rugnrd t» "loading" for roads. Sol tiers could not ff.t sulllcicnt information as ta | what became of the loading mom-y and the accrued "thirds." Ho wns opposed to the system of elective . Land Boards. He considered roads were as mcessary a» the railways, aaid would gladly give his vote in I'arliauient in the direction of borrow ng money for road construction Some of the land districts were unworkable. He was. in favour of freeholds, but would maintain the present systems. Samuel Hill, District Land Valuer of Taranaki, said the lVpartuient now allowed half the %alue of improvoments and goodwill. . He believed applicants themselves wore rosponsible for refusals through not paying their rente promptly. The value of leaseholds in the district was still on the increase. Hitherto tho State had not exercised supervision over the expenditure of money advanced, and,he thought it. should to get the best value. Witness did not thiiik the fact that a Wan had not paid a certain amount of r«mt should prevent him getting an advance. E. M. Smith, stated lhat ' tire general complaint was about the formation of roads in the backblocks. It was desirable that the Government should construct the main roads and give £ for £ on .tho others. Some of the local bodies had raised four or 'Ave loans, and yet it was hard to get the Government to spend more than £IOO or £2OO, Ho i thought the settlers would be con . tent with the leasehold, but for many of the town people advocating periodical re-valuation. He had known people who had sold freeholds and gone in for leaseholds. Ho was favourable to tho optional right of purchase, the Government to have tHe first option if the tenant on acquiring tho land wished to sell again. Ho was in favour of the law restricting the amount of land - ona man could acquire, whether Crown or private property. 'He diil not think the cry for freehold was warranted, believing that if the concession were made to-morrow not moro ihan 5 per cent, of the Crown tenants could awail themselves of the right of purdfease, except on borrowed money. In hiß opinion, however, the major-' ity on tKe land in Taranaki were in favour d freehold. This concluded the evidence, tha Commission rising at 5.30 after a sitting extending over six and a half houfs.