NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 24 October 1907, Page 2

NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS.

THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND PROPOSALS. l'er Press Association. Wellington, Tuesday. The National Endowment Bill was before the House of Representatives this evening. The Lands Committee had considered the Bill, and returned it to the House in an absolutely ineffective form The . schedule, containing the list of the lands, was cut out. The Premier, in moving the second reading of the Bill, said the Lands Committee had in its wisdom thrown out tho schedule, of the Bill He contended that the land which was to come under this Bill should be earmarked. He proposed to move an amendment when in committee to clause 2. He reminded the House that the Land and Income Tux Bill has passed through Parliament, and the Land Bill through the House. The only way in which the Government could meet the wishes of the supporters of both tenures was in a spirit of compromise. This had been done, and had resulted in freehold measures passing through the House with the assistance of leaseholders, and he hoped the same good spirit would prevail in setting apart tho nine million acres as leaseholds for purposes of education and old age pensions. He pointed out ithat education was costing the country £813,550, and old age pensions £319,434. The nine million acres to he set out for the purpose of providing additional revenue for these two objects wore as follows: —Auckland, 900,000 acres; Hawke's Bay, 153,000 acres; Taranaki, 90,000 acres; Wellington, 90,000 acres; Nelson, 1,350,000 acres; Westland, 1,035,000 acres; Marlborough, 450,000 r.cres; Canterbury, 1,800,000 acres; Otago, 2,250,000 acres; and Southland, 000,000 acres. Tho rent from these lands would be £49,031. Under the proposals of the Bill 70 per cent of the proceeds of these endowments would he devoted to educational purposes, and 30 per cent to old age pensions. He reminded members that the requirements for these purposes would fluctuate. Sometimes an increase would be required, and at other times the requirements would decrease. No one could say what the revenue from the endowments would be twenty-five years from now. There would be an increase in the demand made on the consolidated revenue of the country. . Mr Massey contended that, if the people of the country had an opportunity of giving expression to the opinions tho Bill would never become law. Though the Premier said the Bill was a revenue one, the proper person to bike it 'was the Minister for Lands The Lands Committee entirely disapproved of the endowment proposals of tho .Government, and had knocked the schedule out of the Bill so that clause 2 was now inoperative. The Bill would step the lands from being settled. Education was costing the country at the present time £BOO,OCO, and old age pensions £300,000 a yeir, and yet the total revenue to be derived from the lands under the Bill was £49,000 —and that was gross revenue. The Premier had given effect to the proposals of Mr T. E. Taylor and included them in his Bill. He urged that the Bill should be left over until next year. A number of people thought the endowment system had been a great success,, but that was not so. He reminded members that it had been necessary three or four years ago to set up a lioyal Commission to inquire into the grievances of tenants on Otago endowment lands. ft was true that Canterbury endowments had been successful, but that was the exception Ho hoped members would not support the Bill. Mr Laurenson, in supporting the Bill, said that had Wellington been allowed to purchase Miramar five years ago, she would now by the interest derived there

from be able to reduce the rates by onehalf. He urged that it was right to set apart a portion of the common landß

for the benefit of the people. Referring to the renewable lease, lie argued that by granting the tenant tile right to'his improvements, Parliament was giving settlers every incentive to improve their bud to the fullest, extent. The Government had not gone far enough, in his opinion. He would have set apart every remaining acre of Crown lands. Mr Baume contended that tile argument in regard to Miramar did not apply to lands under the Bill. It did not matter how lands were settled so long as the settlers were placed on the lands and given the tenures they required. He regretted as much as anyone that Miramar lands had been lost to the city of Wellington, but he considered its capital value to-day would be nothing like its present worth if it had been under leasehold tenure. He hoped the Government wold re-consider the proposals. _ ' 1:1 ' ■> v Mr Herries argued that endowments of country lairds could not be relied up-, on to give a satisfactory return. Mr W. Fraser said the object of the Bill ws not to provide endowments, but tu lock up nine million acres for all time from sale.

Mr Hogg, in supporting the Bill, said it was a sen tidal that older countries had not made some sucli provision for the Education of the young and the comfort of the aged. Mr Major contended that 1 , whilst the system of raising revenue as provided under the Bill was the simplest form tliii could be devised, it was also the mftst slavish.

Mr McPherson, whilst believing in the principle of endowment, did not think the proposals of the Bill were best adapted to the desired end.

Mr Ross said that, if the State Wer'fi to sell the rural lands and invest the money in city property, it would, as tune went on, have an enormous revenue for the purposes of education and old age pensions. He felt that rural lands would prove unsatisfactory, but as there was no schedule in the Bill he was quite safe in voting for the Second reading. .

Mr Kidd moved an adjournment of loin iln< ' ft°use adjourned at 12.10 a.m. i i ~.