The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1883. THE LEASING SYSTEM.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1124, 21 July 1883, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1883. THE LEASING SYSTEM.

The Honorable Mr Kolloston is evidently a thorough believer in the leasing system of dealing with Crown landsHe is in fact a land nationalisationist at heart. He has this session introduced another leasing bill of a more liberal kind than that of last year, and it has met with approval from all sides of the House. Even Mr Montgomery, who was stupid enough to oppose it last year has graciously given his assent to the passage of the present Bill through the House. But why this tinkering with the question ? Why not

, 1883

cease to sell an}' more land, at once ? What is the good of reserving a patch hero and there to let on the leasehold tenure, and selling on all sides of it ? Some say that if the Crown were to sell no more land it would raise the price of freehold land immensely, We do not believe it. We do not believe that anyone would bo so entirely devoid of common sense, as to buy land whilst he could get a perpetual lease of it at something like a rental of 5 per cent on the capital value of it. But even if it did raise the value of freehold land, would that be an argument in favor of selling Crown lands ? Why should the patrimony of the people be confiscated for the purpose of preventing the property of landowners from increasing in value. Such a course would be very impolitic indeed. We do not believe that it is through fear of increasing the value of freehold land the present Ministry are abstaining from reserving all Crown lands from sale. They have a far more potent reason for it. They want money, and the best way to ra'se it is to sell the land. That is why the land is being sold. Mr Rolleston is convinced that the leasing system is the best, but it will not bring in immediate revenue, and that cannot be done without. That is the whole secret of the matter, and we must say indeed that it is a matter for much regret that such is the case. There would no doubt be a great difficulty in nationalising laud which is already private property. It would have to be bought from the present owners, and that would necessitate the borrowing of immense sums of money. But thoie would be no difficulty in nationalising such lands as are yet unsold. The total area of New Zealand is 64,000,000 acres of which 14.000. has been sold or reserved, 16.000. belongs to Maoris, and 34.000. is yet in the hands of the Crown. There are therefore 34,000,000 acres which could easily be nationalised and if this were let the rent would go very near paying all the taxation of the colony. There is no doubt but that in 50 years hence the rents from these lands if now reserved from sale would be worth £2,000,uC0 a year. This is a matter that ought to be taken up at once. It concerns the squatter, the farmer, the storekeeper, and the working man alike, for it means more taxation if wo sell, and less taxation if we lease, the land.

THE ROAD BOARD DISPUTE, The dispute between the Geraldine and Mount Peel Road Boards with regard to the Rnngilata road is at an end. At its last meeting the Geraldine Board did exactly as we suggested to them, amd met the Mount Peel Board half way. They resolved to cancel the agreement which has existed between the Boards as soon as the road was put in such a thorough state ot repair—at the joint cost of both Boards—as would meet with the approval of their own Overseer. This is exactly what the Mount Peel Board wanted done, and so, as both parties ar» agreeable to this course, we may safely conclude that the affair will terminate satisfactorily. The Geraldine Board has done a very wise and gracious thing in adopting this course. We do not pretend to be able to say that the agreement was or was not binding on the Mount Peel Board. That is a question which might puzzle a thorough-going lawyer. But we certainly say that they had sufficient groundwork for the dispute in it, and that if they had elected to go to law, it would have formed a very good excuse for them for doing so. Its existence was certainly a good excuse for having allowed the road to get into such a very bad state of repair. However, they have very wisely decided not to go to law ; the road is to be repaired, and the agreement is to be cancelled. We congratulate the Boards on the course they have taken. It is at once gracious and prudent, and we believe that they are very few people in the district but will approve of it. At any rate those who had to travel on the Rangitata road will feel glad of it, for it was in a shocking state.