The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1887. LAND ACQUISITION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1570, 19 April 1887, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. TUESDAY, APRIL 19, 1887. LAND ACQUISITION.

It is seldom we can find fault with Mr Rolleston on the land question, and only that “all seems yellow to the jaundiced eye ” we think Mr Rolleston could as seldom find fault with Mr Ballance on the same topic. Ilia references to Mr Ballance were a strange admixture of sneer and compliment. We agree with Mr Rolleston that Banka ought not to be allowed to hold large tracts of lahd, bat we feel fully convinced that be is not the man who would compel them to dispose of it. We do not doubt himself so much as the company he is in. “ Show me your company and I will tell you what you are.” Mr Kolleston’s company hare always been the monopolists, but patting that apart we much prefer Mr Ballance’s plan. Instead of compelling the banks to find buyers for the land Mr Balance's scheme finds the buyers, and, what is more, fixes the maximum priee. It Mr Rolleston were to compel them to sell as be suggests the banks would find “ bogus ” purchasers readily, and things would not be improved. Under Mr Ballance’s scheme that is impossible, By Mr Rolleston’s suggestion the perpetual leasing, of which be professes to think so much, would be destroyed ; Mr Ballance’s scheme provides for the perpetual leasing of the land, Mr Rolleston advocated, therefore, what is opposed to the principles be professes, but doubtless he did not see it then. The most peculiar faults that Mr Rolleston found with Mr Ballance’s Land Acquisition Bill were tbat the amount of £50,000 a year was too small a sum to operate with, and that it would lead to corruption—that is that the Ministry would buy the land of their friends who wished to sell. That is not bad for an ex-Minister of lands to say. No doubt be knows the run of the ropes, but, if it is to be done at al). mustwe.not trust some Ministry to do it f The present Ministry have not, so far as we know, been called “ Yankee log-rollers ” yet. Now, it appears to os that Mr Ballance has provided against corruption, He has fixed the maximum price at ten per cent, over the property-tax valuation ; land cannot be bought at a higher figure than that. In the next place, it is not the Government who will select the land, but the association of persons who desire to take it up. The nodus operandt is; An association will be formed, this association will select a piece of land, and tell the Government that is the land they want to buy. If Mr Ballance has corrupt intentions with regard to bis Bill he proposes to bind his own bands tightly. He cannot give * friend more than the property-tax valuation plus ten per cent, and be has banded the selection of the land to the people who intend to settle on it. It is just like Mr Ballan'e’e foresight. He admits the possibility of a dishonest Minister sncceeding himself in the administration, of the Act, and he has provided for making an honest man of him. We do not wish that this should be regarded , as personally directed against Mr Rolleston. It is not; we never doubted Mr Rollestoo’s honesty; but we must ‘ say that we do not like his readiness t*9 throw suspicion on one whose career has been as free from the stain of corruption as his own.

As usual, Mr Rolleston was rsry weak when dealing with matter! of finance. He did not think anything worth while could be done with £50,000 a year. It appears to ns that 50,000 acres at £5 an acre can be bought for this. The cost of 50,000, acres at £5 an acre woild be £250,000, and onefonrth of this sum would be provided by the persons taking np the land. Now, if the one fourth of the purchase money which persons taking up the land must put down is added to the £50,000 set aside by the Government, nearly half the sum required will be made up. The Government hand over this to the seller of the land, and give him bonds bearing interest at five per cent, for the balance, which interest the tenants will pay in the shape of rent. There are millions of acres that can be purchased on these terms, With the £50,000, therefore, the Go-’ vernment can settle 500 farmers on the land, for no farm is to be larger than 300 acres. We think if they could settle farmers on the land pi the rate of 600 a year, the eolation of ell ear dif*

ficulty would be hastened. Bat supposing we are wrong by one-half, and only 250 farmers could be settled yearly on the land, would it not do good? We do not know whether it is that Mr Rolleston will not see, or cannot see, but we must express a hope that he will see bis way to support the grandest plan yet thought of to secure (State ownership of alienated laud. .