THE LAND BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 22 March 1907, Page 2

THE LAND BILL.

Dil. FINULAVS CAMI'AIGX. OPKXIXG SI'KICCII AT NI'AV PLYMOUTH. The Theatre Koynl was model .Ueiy well mled on Thursday evening, when the Attorney-Central' (Dr. Findlay) opened his campaign in advocacy of the Govirnment s land proposals The chair was taken by the Mayor (Mr. K Uockrill), and there were also on the platform Messrs. \V. T. Jennings, M.H.H., D. Kerry, F. V. Corkill, W. Kerr, 0. (Irav. .I.' B. liov, Dr. McClclland, Mrs. Find lav, Mrs. and Miss Kerr. A 1 apology was received ffpm Mr E. M. Smith. M.I LB.

Dr Findlay, who was greeted with applause, said lie proposed to deliver for the lirst time since he became Minister a political address and for this his first speech he had deliberately chosen a New l'lvmouth audience. lie had done this, he'said, not so much for any consideration of their advantage but a consideration of his own. "In the past,'' lie continned, "I have learnt from actual experience how well you treat your visitors and there is abundant proof that any public man who has the privilege of addressing you is sure of a patient, courteous and intelligent hearing." lie proposed to first discuss the most prominent of the colony's political questions, viz., the hind question, and then if time permitted, to touch upon native lands and the colony's general outlook.

THE LAN!) QI'KSTIOX. "The first thing 1 desire tii say upon the land quest ion is that just now it seems to have passed through all the calm controversial stages and become, a figting political creed expressed by party cries and preposterous misrepresentation. The land question can no more be settled or elucidated by shouting 'freehold' than by shouting 'land nationalisation', nor can it be settled by nonsensical cries that the existing freeholds are in a parlous plight, that existing rights are in danger and that the (lovernment of the day is a reckless pack of spoliators, and revolutionaries. We may have much to answer for but in connection with the Land liill the head and front of our oll'ending is that we would preserve unsold the poor remnant of our lauds mainly for the sake of those in days to come who have passed through n life of toil into declining years and poverty, and we would preserve it for those who have the misfortune to need our hospitals and charitable aid and for the equipment of our children for 'the race of life. The cries that we seek lo destroy the freehold aud other alarmist predictions arc idle nonsense that settle nothing except the insincerity c £ the speaker or his estimate! of the intelligence of his audience. I appeal to you all as impartial students of this co-. lony's history: Jras not the Jpjpstion of how best "to deal with our national estate perplexed every statesman worthy of the name? It perplexes us to-day, and it perplexes us mainly because of our past mistakes. It has a history of more than half a century, a history mainly of the .sacrifice of the people's interest, a history which may be read in all iis melancholy lessons from the f>2 acts and ordinances in force in this colony when liallanee passed his hand. Kill in 1S!)2 and swept them out of existence —a history which gives us the key to more sociail trouble| Intrigue* anil manoeuvre than any legislation we ever have passed, in (lays gone by—not once, but often—the land question and our land laws have set class against class, making fhe poor hate the rich and the rich fear the poor. The record of our land legislation and land administration is in a measure a record of mistakes—mistakes which might well «ivc us pause before we agree to part with another acre of the Crown's estate. Reflect upon the numilicent endowment in the siiape of our Crown lands handed over lo Ihe responsible Government of New Zealand over 50 ycuijs ago nluil recognise and recall the. loss aud injustice) to this young nation which had, laws', want of laws, evasion of laws, and mal-adniiui'tration of laws has made so possible and painfully visible. For generations yet to come the people of this colony will have to pay for PAST MISMANAGEMENT

and ihe reckless disposal of the people's fstufc. And yet with this behind us theiv, are few men (outside of New Plymouth) who can be rightly called moderate on the land question. As some, one says, everyone ;seems to 'lake a side. Ho thinks quickly if he 'thinks at, all, speaks holly and reasons the principle 'where you see a head hit it'! (luv opponents do not seem to trouble themselves much about the practice and the history of the past, about the lessons to be- gained from results of our own early mistakes or the mistakes of other colonies. Tlisy are practical men and would let the future take care of itself but a practical man on the land question is usually one wdio interprets the State's rights;" and; <lhe future [public' needs by his own immediate interest! and that of his class. They do not halt 'between two opinions: they are cocksure; knowing well what personally suits them and wholly convinced what suits them must suit the community. Argument becomes supcrlltious and dwindles down io emphasis and mere denunciation. We have just now the extreme natioualisators shouting their cry, 'tho extreme freeholders shouting that the freehold is in danger, we have tho modified freeholders, we hare tin: Crown tenants CLAMORING FOR THE FREEHOLD. With all this commotion, cry and coiin-

'ter-ery, -one might ho tempted to adopt': the course suggested by Alt' Pickwick ! and the din of a crowd of his day— ! 'Who i» iSluinkey!' whispered Tupmiu. 'I don't know,' replied Mr Pickwick in the same tone, 'but, hush! don't ask any ' questions; it is always best on these | .occasions to shout what (lie mob is showing.' Mint suppose there are Iwo mobs?' suggested Nnodgrass. 'Hluuit \ (with the biggest,' replied Ikr Pickwick, j (Laughter). Mow the biggest innl>— Ithe higgesl class interested in the land ' question was the landless people of this colony, and they are doing little or no shouting, lint the effectiveness of their votes will not be reduced hy Unit. | The whole number of rural freeholders lof this country holding mare than live 'acres each is'under 5I1.01K), all hough they own all the best land and about ,'oiie. third of the country, while the

whole of (lie Crown tenants of every !c kind and class who have not alrculyj'J got thet right to purchase is 1 (i/iOO*. *I, while on the rolls at the last, elect on , (here were 47(1,47:1 voters. You can- ( not safely judge the numerical strengt.i i lof a parly by Hie fuss it makes, even ' though it is a Farmers' I'nion. One is | iifien in inverse propoi-lion to the other, , while i admit that, the mere po-sossion , of a iiiiijority is no proof of a right eons cause." A "NATIONAL YIKW- POINT. No safe or reliable eonclusion could harrived at bv lookino al (his question through selfish ].arlv or individual eves: they must rise to the height of looking al it from a national poinl of vi-v. from I lie point of view of (he good of Ihe coionv as a whole, not from the good of any particular class. The colony was nut going |o he run by this Covernment or any" othi'r (lovernuient in the interests o'f anv one class, be dial, class land or lahor, he it the most | active or he it (lie most vociferous, lie dill not believe they or any of their successors would so far forget the tradi- , | (ions of their nation as to legislate

purely ill the interests of one class, however large or however powerful. (Applause.) The (loveriiinent recognised h il 1h" fanning interest was one of (he most potential in this colouv, and lliev might well have staved their hand anil let mailers drift, along, making sure merely I hat hy doing nalhiug tliey did not run counter to the potential influence of the country parlies. Tee (iovernment would not loiirt peace al a price like that, lint believed (he lime had long since arrived when the question should be faced slrenuouslv and courageously. Several questions were raised under the heading of the land question, and directly a fleeting several classes. First there was the question of

SUBDIVISION' of the largest estates for (lie purpose of closer settlement. The desirableness of this was now conceded by almost everybody; the only question that arose even from prominent Opposition people was how Hie subdivision should he brought about. Well, as to ilie means, he (Dr. Findlay) did not desire to quarrel. The Government had Hie machinery and were prepared frankly to take advice, and if necessary lo change (he machinery clauses.' it was said that

THE LAND HILL, providing that an individual owner who held more than '£5(1,000 worth of land unimproved value, must put the surplus on the market within ten years, was clumsy, tyrannical and 'inoperative. Mr. Musscy suggested a graduated land tax as the best means. Very well; if the Opposition would join the Government in effecting the end they would soon have the subdivisions of those large estates, which, in his opinion, were against the best interests of our country. The third question was simple corollary to this, should the aggregation of huge estates lie permitted in the future? As a safeguard against the recurrence of the trouble the Bill proposed that a limit should be placed on the anion t of valuation of land which one man could hold. Xo millionaire could buy up the laud and treat the people as was unhappily seen in sonic of the old lands. The (iovernment was going to break up big estates, and effectually prevent such accumulations ill the future. 'The limit was to be 115,000 on the unimproved value. This also was said to be impracticable and clumsy. lie (Dr. Findlay) agreed that if' the Govcrnniciit's proposal was not effective then by all means have the graduated land (ax. Another question was raised by a contention that (lie (iovernment ought to give the freehold to tenants under the Land for Settlement Act. (Hear, hear, and applause.) tie declared frankly—although he rccomiiscd it was not in accordance with the views of iniii-y present—that he could not support such au argument. In (he lirs( place the land was taken from private owners—in many cuses wrested cunipulsorily, and it was illogical and unjust to sell this land to others in a few days or a few years' time. (Applause

and dissent.) "I say we have done enough; we have done well for those who have settled under the .Land for Settlement Act," said Dr. I'indhiv. "Each of the settlers has cost the country an average of £I2OO. As an evidence of how well they have thriven, and how much benefit has been conferred on them, ask your Land Hoards throughout the colony, ask your ollicers what goodwills arc being asked and paid to-day on these holdings, which the colony has conferred on thein." It was unfair to the rest of the colony, to those who had no land, to come knocking at the doors of Parliament asking lor still further benefits. Then; me also great divergence of opinion as to whether the freehold should be given ti: the U limits in perpetuity under our ordinary Land Acts, ami'if so at what price? At the original valuation or the price to-day? The Hill offered the land lo these tenants at the price that (lie unimproved freehold bears to-day. Had not the time come, he asked, when this country should copy the example o! older lands, when tliey should copv the example of the United States, and set apart, whilst they had yet time, before it Mas too late, reserves anil ondow-

incuts, which in years to come would help our old age pensioners, our hospitals, and charitable aid boards, and our educational system'; Had not (lie time come for that apart altogether from granting ircehold to any man? Was it

not time when they should take this precaution, taken by' people, in the older lands with very great benefit to the people themselves? (Applause and dissent.) The speaker went oil to ask in what nay were the different classes inlluenced, prejudice,! or nllVcled bv tin proposal of fhe Land liill. Take'large land owners, of whom (here was sucha happy family in Hnwke's liny. Wh r„ attitude did these men take, and what was the reason tor it? What the great, hind owner feared, lie declared, was lot that the Crown tenants would not vrl the freehold, not that the freehold would not liu given to the small settlers in the future—what cared he for that? Why the land owners opposed llie Bill was I because they did not like the settler, ami did not want to subdivide their holdings (where they had at present nothing hut sheep) for the small settler's es,.. Tin land owners objeei was mainly a selfish one; should tin freehold be given to the small settler and the lease in perpetuity to tenants, it would divert the present agitation to subdivide his estates: i| would ndirv, the pressure wlilch was daily found to be growing greater em! mca'ier ionimi (hose large loeKcd-li|i area.. As in",,! her countries, the large squatter regarded the small settler as a pest i„ |„. ..,,1 rid of if he could. The Altonicv-

General emphatically warned (he small settler that the alliance proliVi-cd bv |l„. big hind owner, ostensibly in the'freehold cause, was not a nioral and (rue alliance, and he wished to sav "lie-ware" in large letters. There was every historical justification for this warning, lie cited New South Wales as an example. Dr. I'indlav urged that faith was instilled lie the.'Government which, fed lowing" up JlcKcnzic alfil ISallanee's measures, had been (he true friends of the small settlers for many years. Their legislation was aimed at the growing interests not for the exclusive largo land holder, hut to seciuc those who had Utile and deserved more. Then came the I.a ml for Settlement tenants, continued lh: Jc'iiKllay.

He did not blame them for wanting to acquire the freehold, !)ut he certainly would blame tho Gorcrnmoiit if it were given. They, strangely enough, were placed on the large estates, mainly with resistance on tho part of the owner, and ho quoted the bitterness with which the owner of liatuma fought the advent of the sicttler. There was no justice, the speaker claimed, in the demand of the Land for Settlement tenants, who had not tho arguments of 'THE L.I.P, SETTLER, who hewtd ft homo out in tins backblocks, to back up theif claim. Estates in I-lawko's liny cut up and settled had all the Conveniences of roads, railways, schools, post offices, 'etc., and everything to make the settler's life comfortaWg. IfurJSlier "incentive'' yrns

'not necessary. Incentive indeed! Dirt : not the fortunate man who held these J holdings ask .C-HIO, .WIN) and .CtiOO for the mere good-will? '"We must, be just 1o all before we are generous to any 'particular class," continued l)r l-'indlay. I "Wo must be generous to those in our cities needing some consideration." ('online to the L.y. tenants, (|ie,-c, or I lire majority of met;,, asked lor me freehold at the original valuation. The area leased under this form of tenure 'amounted to -i.HI.UUO odd acres. The originator of Hie perpetual lease of IKS2 likewise of the lease in p 'rp 'tu ty, intended recurring valuations to be projvided for. In both cases, however, the poviod'eal re-valuation proposals were 'defeated by the slronglh of the freehold j interest. ' Consequently these tenures were mutilated ami left in their present form, which he (l)r Findlav) re-

garded as senseless and incomplete. This -rave the tenants a nil!) years' len- ' ore at a fixed rental, -which mi- to some measure a concession at the expense of it'.tc colony. Vet because you had given us so much, we now ask for more." This was a unique reison, because we had already given too much, we were asked to give, 'more. I)r Fin, Hay having I dealt further with the reasons assigned hv the ibil'erent classes continued:—"l venture to promise you this, that lliiLaml Hill, in perhaps some muddied shape, is aoing on the Statute Hook this rr:ir. H 'is -..in- because the opposiiion iias not erne from any whole-hearted desire thai the freehold shall lie given to the Crown icuanls jpre-ent sir future." After explaining in detail what had been called the -bursting-up" clauses, the speaker referred to the argument Hint the (lovernment should go on buying large estates and settling them as in'the past, lie had had experience | in conned ion with vc-purchases and had come to the conclusion that the re-pur-

chase system was rapidly reaching! a ■ position'in which it would he confronted by dillicuKies so great as to be almost impracticable. Full value had to be paid, with It) per cent compensation, to which had to be added all the expenses of the proceedings, in the case of the Flabournc estate several thousand pounds. The procedure was costly and cumbersome, and in his opinion the time was fast arriving when some other means must be provided for aeuuiimg estate for settlement. I'ndcr the Land Dill the land for settlement tenauls were to be given practically the freehold. One clause in the Act, a clause which was very widely mis- • understood, gave the equivalent of the I'REUIIOED TO L.l.L'. TENANTS. This was perhaps more a question for lawyers than for a general audience. ' There was a clause which provided that upon the tenant paying up to 50 per . cent of the original valuation ho could

gel his land freed from every condition iuid every rel,r:ction save that lie had to ]>ay in cash half the rent formerly paid. 80 that if he iiad paid half of the original valuation his land was to all intents and purposes a freehold, and he could do as he liked with it. If lie chose to pay the State (10 per cent ot thai valuation, the rent was reduced to a tenth, and lie would have all the advantages of a freeholder. The money would be paid back to the tenant at the end of the GO years if he did not take a re-lease on the new valuation, or lie could have it contributed to the rental of I lie second term. He contended' that this provision gave to the leasc-in-perpetuit tenant and the the lease-iii-perpetuity tenant and Ihe lent of the freehold. But the Bill offered to the l.i.p. tenant still greater advantages, lie had foul' options: (1) to keep his hind on its present terms, untouched and intact; (2) to have tins rreeholil; Ci) t» have the freehold in tin years; or 111 a new lease for (ili years with right of renewal.

SALIC OF CKOWX LANDS. The Attorney-General emphasised i.he need for calling a halt in the sale id (he Crowr. lands, for it was more to the interest of the people of this colony to keep this portion of the national estate, this reim.aiit of it, unsold, for the purposes of future seltieinent. 11 was frequently slated that without the freehold there was no inducement for settlement. In the early stages of the history of a country that might apply. It might lie impossible (hen to get men (o go on the hind on any other term-. But" in the early singes'not hind out people were wanted. Land was a glut in the market. But with the increase u" iiipulalion vine «reater s.iciel needs and greater demand for land, enninafi.ig from the cities, from people who wanted land on which lo establish a 110111 \ It to too often forgotten that the State itself was a creator of values. The value of every acre of laud held under the freehold tenure had been increased iu value as much by the public services, such as post ami telegraph, public works, and increased facilities which enabled the laud to be opened as by the freeholder himself. The State was a creator of values, be repealed, all! was entitled to have its inleiv.-l in 'he increment protected, lie asserted th't many of the big blocks of freehold held privately bad been obstacles lo progress, and he illustrated this by pointing to the fact that when the State acquired laud they had to pay six limes as much as the seller had paid for it. Of £5,000,000 spent in the purchase of private estates, fully £:t,uilo,ooo was for

VXEARXED IXCIIEMKXT. Thev had to pay the landowner .C'!,0(l(l,1)00* for what thev hail never earned. The Stale had parted willi sixteen million acres of land. How much had thev lost on that if .C3,000,0»l) were lost on a million acres'; Jlo.-idcs that sixteen millions nearly another two million acres had passed awav, for ever practically, in !l!l!> years' leases. How much was left for settlement ? Thev had parted with more than half the lands in the colony, or. judged on, the lc\t of productivity, probably three-quarters or live-sixths'of 11. The population of Hie colony to-day was under a million, and as thev were proudly looking forward to the day iclicn New Zealand would hare her four or lire millions of people, it behoved them* to see that some hinds were reserved for future settlement, lie quoted the opinions of some of (he colony's leading statesmen in ihe pastMr. ltollestou in ISS-2, Mr. .lohn liallanee in ISilO, Sir .lohn Mackenzie, and Mr. Hcddon to the time of his death ■•ilia! it was in the best interests of the colony that no more Crown lands should he sold. The tile Mr. Schlon h;d had -his back to Ihe door" on this porn!, and these men. and every man who as a statesman hid adore''.l our Parliament, had said the sale must slop. This marked the way ill which tin tide was Mowing. Returning; once more to the in liter of inducement to settlement of new districts, he claimed to know a-

nmch about 'ln dillicullies of pioneering ai any man who was enduring hardships 10-dav. The saving thai (hey must give tl.e freehold to backbloek settlers would apply until the last of Hi" colour's acres had gone, lie John,! issue with those who said there could Uno otlnr inducement but the freehold. IXJH'CKM.K\TN TO STATU TEXAXTS

He contradicted that. The State could give such inducement and such security as would encourage the best class of

settlors to go into the backblocks. They rou'-d do it liv improving roads. Mr. Malone: \V!iv don't vmi give I hem roads?) Knowing tli.it such woi/k was adding (o the national estate'* by uiTni'ding greater educational, postal and telegraph facilities iu the rcinotc areas; and I'.v oiler agencies nirc.nl as much lu.-.mi-i'vr as was required t" nicel I he cireumslanres in which t!r settlers were I'laeed. Tl.n plea ,-f Hi" si rue::l,-, „t Hie back block settlers v ;.„ olten mifalrl.v and unduly used. They were a-k-d to imagine that every Crown (enanl was laboring under hardships. What al.our the land-l'c,r-sel!le,',„ul ;,,„; (],., ], n]k ,„■ the lease-in-perpe!ui!v U-tiuuisV They should apply the test of ~,|,,,,] „,,,„„:. (unity t„ all. The Stale had employment for seine". Hud for sett lenient for others, lie knew men who' had' hecii employed mi the pnhlie works for leu or lifleen vears, and when th.-v l"l'i ihce hand their hands still- llllle'el-e. Thi'l. was in marked contrast to the man who was given land for sidtlemenl, who had done well in selling his holding. n,.ublless lie had worked hard for his success, Iml so hud the laborer, Most of the men who were now maintaining the present agilatioii for the freehold for (Town tenants were men who had no iutenlion of settling on Crown lands, lie had no hesitation in saying iiml I lie moving force was the lin-ji" witli big ('slide*. (A voice: No. it isn't.) lie would ask the hie landowner, when he talked of the lonely axeman in Ihe hackwoods, if he knew that the land they held ill their iron grip was driving fhci'ii to the solitude of Ilia forest. Let them relax (heir grip on their thousands of acres, ami thus show their practical sympathy with the man whose cans,' lliey were espousing. Let them open their surplus lands to the small set Hers, instead of locking them up for largo, shoe]) rims when they could he made to curry many smiling, prosperous homes.

FREEHOLD AREAS AVAILABLE. He announced, amidst applause, dial in llio next (wo or lliri-c vcars there would lie for the small settlers of tlif colony more freehold than for lh" jimsl twenty years, ami for the following reasons:--Tliere would lie an effectual and pri:inpi subdivision of meal estates in a manner that could not take (be form of rcaggregation, and ii.i:i -.vunld open i'rceliold lands in many puis of the colony; and there would soon be placed on tin inarkel lor European occupation about two ami a half million acres of Maor lands, now Iving idle in the hands 01 the natives. The Chief Justice, sir Ho berl Stout, had informed him that rtl ready the titles of 12(1.111111 acres habeen' investigated, and a largo poi-the of this would lie available lor lairo pean occupation, and these rich lands. .-. lons idle and waste, would he In-oiigt into produclivilv bv white settlers \vl: are now driven to take (heir famine

into the wilderness. |i was bid reasonable, whilst seeing llr.it the natives were justlv treated, dial the Sl.i.e should' acquire these native holdings, r . liiey proposed to lake the land f:\,m the hit/ liuropcan owners. And h- was sure ill-il Sir Robert Slont would :-•:• ilia: full justice was done to the Maoris in this change. A IiK(URI) Sl'Rl'l.l'S. ] Concluding. Dr. Kiudlay said thai.' whilst thcv might dill'er as to the uteri's of the I.aii.l i'.ill, about the present prosperity they must unite in whole-hearted congratulation. The liuancial vear would end in a few da vs. on the ills! of this iuon.h. and lie could tell them thai the records of public revenue, so far. this

\ear would outstrip last year's by a greater amount than any previous year had shown over its predecessor. When mev remembered the record of the ten vcars just passed, this statement must be in the highest degree gratifying, lie in-it.i need the increase of the deposits in the I'ost (llliee Savings P.ank from 2'/j millions ill 18! Xi to 'seven millions in IDIIIi. anil they all knew from what classes these savings came. In the II months ending in February last the exports of agricultural products had increased in value by t.1,111,517. hemp accounting for an increase of .tH.'iD.dnil; lamb, ,C:!7»,(«HI; mutton. C'22!1,(H111, beef, -CISU.OIM); cheese, Cl.'ia.lKlO; butler, i:l.'l(i,ll()(). This proud record, and the splendid outlook were due in a large measure that we had an industrious

I'eopie. »jm ucic piuim 01 iii-.n >»."■ [iy, of its heauties. and of Us destines. Underlying all the legislation was thai spirit of linmanity which led to the ideal of :>rotlierhoed, and there was a growlh of a desire for (he hetterinenl ot all the ]>cople of the colony as a whole now and in the future. Or. Findlay resumed his scat amidst applause. Mr. .1. IS. Boy referred to the honor conferred on New l'lvmouth by reason of (lie fact (hat the AUorncy-General had chosen this town for his first address since lie was clevaled to the rank of a Cihinct Minister. In the legal pr>Cession Dr. Findlay had the reputation of being one of the hut scholars in Xev Zealand, an.l his spee-h lliat evening fully jiistilied that reputation which had prcu'ded him. He ha I not eouiuiitfed himself hard and last to the Bill, but was willing to accept any modification (lia( was directed in (lie best interests of the colony. That was, he said, the proper spirit in which to approach sucli a measure, and if the members of tie MinUlrv followed on I hose lines til -V

could promise themselves a long term of OMice. Taranaki, he had told Dr. I'indlav, had a strong leaning towards 1 lie freehold. (-\pjilause.) lie moved--"That this meeting thanks (he Attorney-! Icnei-.il, Dr. Findlay. for his able address this evening, ami oppresses eon j lhlence in (be Ministry, wilh the hope that (he Ministry will inaleriallv modify the provisions of Hie Bill. A. questioner desired to know something about the llushy I'ark estate and its purchase, lint the chairman announced that the Attorney-I icneral declined to answer questions. Mr. (.'. K. Bellringor, in seconding the motion, cxpre.rU'd his opinion that it should contain some stronger approbalion. The motion was carried, several voices dissenting. * In acknowledging the resolution mil Hie vote of thanks, Dr. Fiudlnv said he could not feel annoyed for the resolution was just about what lie had asked lor. lie assured the meeting that He Govern nei't had 11.) objections to u,li liciitions, so long as the principle of the Hill remained intact, (laughter.) A vote of thanks to the chair tern I11ated l ue proceedings.