The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6. LAND FOR THE PEOPLE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 6 December 1907, Page 2

The Daily News. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6. LAND FOR THE PEOPLE.

the complaints that have arisen through U,e operation of Hie Laud for Sclllemcnls Act have not been many, conquering the character of the measure. It may fairly be assumed they have , , m . 'i,nh from those who have held liie Crow'u to be a proper subject for vtortioii. The success which has attended the working of Hie Act has „..,l„Vv vcrv far .urpasscd the aitliet.....i",,; of no n-amer.,. the a.,|..irc-L-ui and suUkvi-iun ol large estates, n Co pLiL-nw upon me subdivisions i'.l'a Vai-c' number of strenuous, thrifty settlers "have proved an unmixed blesv ii,., not lo the .cttlers alone, but to the country at large, families have been placed in a position where they were enabled to work out their own future, and in the working out of that future, necessarily, they kept iiiercasiii.r the exports, the wealth, and the prosperity of the Dominion. Had the late Premier lived to control the policy of the country.- there can scarcely be a doubt that he would stcudlastly have adhered to the Hand for Settlements Act as the true course to follow in the attainmmt of closer settlement.

It is true that preceding the last general election, he announced as part of the future policy of bis administration an increase in the graduated land tax; but that increase was not de-si-ncd lo render stiperlluous or nugatory the Land for Settlements Act. I The reduction of the duties of Customs on the necessaries of life was also part of the announced policy, and the increase in the graduated land tax was intended to compensate the reveuue for the losses that would be sustained. The wealthiest section of the community were to be called upon to make up the deficiency caused through concessions proposed to be extended to the poorest. It cannot be denied that in the Laud for Settlements Act the principle of compulsion is embodied; that is to say, that when it has been shown that it would prove to the interest of the people of the Dominion generally that a large tract of country should bbroken up into sections to allow for its cultivation and improvement by population, lhe land must be surrendered lo the State, but the conditions of the taking are so considerate and so liberal to Hit' land-owner as very largely to mitigate the objectionable nature, oi the taking. When lUft the l.aud for Settlements Act was submittal it was felt that its compulsory element rendered it an extraordinary measure, and every care was taken to modify the surroundings of the principle as much as possible.

The Ward Government, adopted the policy 01' its predecessors in regard to reduction ol' Customs duties and tli-increa.-e of tlif graduated land tax, but they do nut seem to have had much lics'itation in resolving lo use the latter as an instrument of pressure. It was stated delinitely that it was proposed to continue to carry out the Land lor Settlements Act, but the Act was insufficient. To enable the Government to meet the demands of those who were desirous of going uopn the land, something more than was provided in the Act was necessary. The expenditure on the rcacquisition of large estates had risen by leaps and bound-, and to meet the aspirations of would-be farmers, such a large sum would be required for laud -purchase as I could not be contemplated without I alarm. Considering that the lessee pays the interest upon the money borrowed for the rcacquisition of large estates j and for loading, that (he general taxpayer is not called upon to contribute one shilling, there never did appear to be much in this contention; although it may be freely admitted that, in order to supply land to those who were eager to become cultivators of the soil, the Act would require to be administered in a much more comprehensive, liberal, and vigorous spirit than it had been.

The Government therefore proposed to render the graduated land tax a car-' dinal feature of its land for settlements policy. The Land for Settlements Act was to sink into tile position of a subordinate feature. . I'nder the Land and Income Assessment Act an owner of over £-10,0110 worth of land is called upon to pay annually an admittedly unjust tax of 8s for every £IOO worth of estate he holds over the £40,000, or he must get rid of the surplusage somehow or another. The

onus the burden, the risk arc thrown 1 wholly upon the land-owner. Jle is constrained to do something or submit to make a heavy payiueit. The State makes no tender, it does mil oiler to buy. it simply asserts that the owner must sell or pay. If the owner decides to sell, be must be content with what he can contrive to get. That (he lion. the Attorney-General was somewhat conscious of' tli* harshness of this attitude is in a measure shown bv uis remarks v. hen introducing Iho Bill in the I'ppcr Chamber. ' He said: "If you look over Ihe laud laws of other colonies ami other Stales von will see that the graduated tax here'imposed, compared with such taxation elsewhere, is very strenuous and more effective than (hat so far existing in any other part of Ihe Jiritish Empire; so that, while it mav in some measure fall short of the desires of some honourable members present, it will be conceded that the Government at least has taken a long stride in what we believe to he a right direction, ami that the anticipations with which this Rill |wss . cd through the other place will be realised in good time—that. is. the sub-

divisions and further subdivisions of large estates, which is now so much desired, will be effected in good time under (he pressure or inducements held out by this Hill." These words seem to show that the honorable "entleman felt that the legislation he was proposing was of a most unusual character. Of all (he legislation of last session, the Land and Income Assessment Ait is the most strenuous. Xo doubt the people of the Dominion will watch the operation of the measure with keenly jealous eyes.