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LAND AND OTHER MATTERS.

In regard to the land question, Mr. Okey 'blames the Government for lack of a definite policy and advocates a system of optional tenure and giving of the freehold to l.i.p. lessee?, though we heard nothing from him regarding giving the right of acquiring the freehold to holders of land for settlement leases. At the present time there are eight different forms of tenure, and with the proposals of the present Land Bill (which is warmly supported by Mr Massey) in operation the opportunities for acquiring land will be greatly widened. The buying of estates under the Land for Settlement Act has, it is true, not proceeded as satisfactorily as one would like and as the interests of the country demand, but the amendment passed last session in regard to the mode of resuming the land, permitting the State to buy at somewhere near its true and not its fancy value, will enable the Government to prosecute a more vigorous policy and find use for the money authorised for the purpose. Then, we suppose, there will be another wail from Mr. Okey's friends about the frightful amount of our indebtedness! They arc condemning the Government now for not spending money in buying these estates and also blaming the Government for borrowing the money necessary for the purpose. They would be hard to satisfy. It is nonsense for Mr. Okey to suggest that the Government is against the freehold. Its land legislation during the past five years has been almost solely in that direction. The State will not grant the freehold, however, to holders of national endowment lands. Whatever Government is in power; we do not think they would dare tamper with these lands, the revenue from which in course of time will pay the whole cost of old age pensions and education. In regard to the l.i.p. men we would give them the freehold at the original valuation, plus the one per cent., .but very few of them, we are disposed to think, would be so ill-advi-ed as to convert when they have such a good thing. There is little or no difference in the land views of Mr. Okey and Mr. liellringer. Both are desirous of seeing the country opened up as speedily as possible and making conditions as easy as possible. Mr. Okey supports the Government's defence policy and looks upon the gift of the Dreadnought as an insurance fund. He believes the Maori war veterans should have been better treated in the matter o( pensions. We agree with him. On the licensing question, he is somewhat wobbly. He believes in the 05 per cent, majority for local option, but wants a free hand in regard to national option, whilst he admits supporting the granting of the bare majority to Maoris. If the, bare majority is good enough for the natives, logically it should apply to Europeans. We do not suggest that it is advisable that the bare majority should prevail where such important interests are involved; we only desire to point out the inconsistency of Mr. Okey's attitude on this question. Similarly with the gambling question. He is, or was at one time, opposed to gambling in all its forms, but voted for the retention of the totalisator, giving ns a reason that there was no chance of killing the bookie without supporting the tote. This sort of reasoning will not appeal very strongly to that section of his people at whose instance he pledged himself to fight the tot*.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19111115.2.23

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 15 November 1911, Page 4

Word count
Tapeke kupu
587

LAND AND OTHER MATTERS. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 15 November 1911, Page 4

LAND AND OTHER MATTERS. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 123, 15 November 1911, Page 4

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