TRAFFICKING IN LAND.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1919, Page 6

TRAFFICKING IN LAND.

FARMERS SHOULD HAVE FREE HANJD. The matter of trafficking in land was briefly discussed at Tuesday's sitting of the New Zealand Farmers' Union Conference. Mr R. Dunn (Taranaki) moved: "That in the best interests of the Dominion, for the purpose of increasing production, it is imperatively urgent that steps should be taken to put ft stop to the excessive trafficking in land that is taking place in the Dominion." Mr E. Maxwell (Taranaki) seconded the remit- In doing so he said he thought tliat before land was perm/tied to be sold a sum of 10 per cent should be paid off the mortgage by the seller. Mr D. Jones (North Canterbury) thought that farmers should be allowed a free hand in their transactions. He could not see how they could legislate upon such a matter. Mr G. Skeat (Dunsandel) opposed the motion. What they should aim at preventing, he ?a.id, were the operations ot "land sharks," who, he claimed, were the cause of all tiie trouble. Several other speakers also opposed the remit on the ground that they did not think that farmers should be prevented from spending their own mo »y if they wanted to do so. One delegate taid a mortgage was the "best thing a man could have round his neck, Tor it kept him out of hotels, and from spending his money unwisely." (Laughter.) The remit was rejected unanimously.