THE LAND BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 161, 17 October 1910, Page 3

THE LAND BILL.

OPINION OF AUCKLAND FARMERS.

By Telegraph.*— Press Association.

Auckland, October 10,

At a meeting of the executive, of the •Auckland Agricultural and Pastonu Association this afternoon, the Land j Bill now before the House was dis-| cussed. I

•The president-(Mr. Gray) ,« iticiseci •the Bill at length. He thought there ,was a tendency in' the Dom.nion to restrict the size, of the holdings. He made a strong plea for the freehold. He did not think the Bill was introi duced seriously or that it would go' through. Mr. Gray moved 'the following motion: That-in the-, -opinion of this As-'sociatioii-.no land Bill is likely'to be "satisfactory to the farming community '•which fails :to-confer'upon those taking ''«p''C'rbwri lands the optjp.nal right to purchase.- ■> 'JIMs Association moreover ; views -\vitti, gray*' concern" the 'tendency displayed iii the Land- Laws .Amend-, ■ ment Bill, .introduced this session, to iria'ke the holding of rural lanft-.a crimio nal offence, ..and protests yagiyns.j| : 'the : - application of the principle ),of tne'beibrif- '■ leasehold to lands | -at present .held privately. .It further to place 1 on ; record its deliberate opinion ■that the disabilities proposed to. bt : placed on- holders'of landf, the iihim-: • proved value of which 'amounts to £40.000 or more, are unnecessary arid! imjristiifia'ble in view of the powers already possessed by the. Crown of. reserving such lands under the Lands for Settlement Act.

' Mr. G. J. Garland, in seconding, said the Bill was a half-and-half measure with a sop to the freeholders . and a sop to the leaseholders. He considered the Bill was simply an attempt to placate some of the people in the towns and so get some more votes. | Dr. Stopfo-rd also 1 supported the resolution, and spoke strongly in favor of the freehold.. He advocated settlement on%he Queensland system. |

The motion was carried' unanimously.

Mr. John Massey moved ■ that this Association I 'considers .that legislation.,of the character contemplated, must tend to destroy the confidence of ,the better class of setters 'who 'might otherwise be attracted to"; this,, .country, and respectfully" suggests;/Jfcfeat-,.the Government should*; substitute- ;for such com-lease-lwlders .the resumption arid sale of estates necessary for closer' settlement purposes on*a. system of deferred payments'. ■■ ;,.. This motion was by Mr. Henderson, and carried,. unanimously.