The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1889. LAND NATIONALISATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1858, 26 February 1889, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 1889. LAND NATIONALISATION.

In his speech at Auckland Sir Harry Atkinson made » statement which ought to startle laud monopolists. He said he looked forward to the day when all lands would be vested in the Crown. This of course means land nationalisation, and it is a very bold assertion for a man occupying the position of Premier of the colony to make. He looks forward to the day when all land shall he vested in the Crown. Does he mean by this that he expects to live to see that day ? If he does we must say that he is much more sanguine than most of those who believe that one day or another the land of all civilised countries will be nationalised. However, it is possible that the Premier. may live for the next 20 years, and it is possible for many changes to be effected in the meantime. Many changes have taken place during the past 20 years, under circumstances less favorable to Democracy than those which exist at present, and there can be no doubt but that the chariot of progress will move much more rapidly in the future than in the past. When seriously examined, therefore, we cannot but admit that Sir Harry Atkinson has some grounds for hoping that he may see the lands of New Zealand vested in the Crown, and administered by responsible ministers for the good of the people. We have to congratulate him on the boldness of his utterances, but at the same time we should be glad to know bow does he reconcile with bis belief in land nationalisation the fact that he keeps as his Minister of Lands the most obstinate and unscrupulous opponent of it in the colony. Since Mr .Richardson took charge of the Land department he has left no stone unturned to destroy the growing disposition of the people towards land nationalisation. His first step was to destroy the principle of perpetual leasing by passing an act which gave power to leaseholders to convert their tenure of the land into a freehold tenure. He also removed the restrictions for preventing the acquisition of land in large areas, and now one may acquire 264:0 acres in every land district in New Zealand. There are at least nine land districts in New Zealand, aad thus one may now acquire about 24,000 acres of land. In addition to this he has been using his influence to push land sales to the prejudice of perpetual leasing, and he has even gone so far as to attempt to monopolise the powers vested in Land Boards, till the Wellington Board brought him to his senss by ignoring his right to interfere with them. He has also done his best to bring the village settlement system into disrepute ; but in spite of him there is a growing sentiment in favor of perpetual leasing, and of an extension of the village settlements. Sir Harry Atkinson, as Premier of the colony, is responsible for the actions of his Ministers. He is therefore blameable for the present land administration, and certainly in that respect there is want of consistency between his professions and his actions. Up in Auckland he is in favor of land nationalisation; down in Wellington he is rivetting chains, and bars, and locks to prevent its realisation. This can only lead to one question, Is Sir Harry Atkinson a humbug? We believe he is. He is the creature of circumstances. He is in the wrong position. He is leading the Conservative party, and must do as they desire, or else take a back seat; but, honestly speaking, we believe his sympathies are on the whole Liberal. He has consequently very often to act the humbug. He is in favor of land nationalisation, but in order to retain the confidence of his followers he must work against it. And he is working against it in parting with Crown lands in the way he has been doin'* during his present tenure of office! If we are to have laud nationalisation the land must he rebought from those to whom he is selling it at present. Henry George’s plan ot ruining them by means of taxation would be unjust and dishonest. It might do well where ipen acquired the land by means of plunder, but where hard cash has been paid for j

it hard cash must be given by any Government which seeks to regain it for the Crown. That being so, Sir Harry Atkinson’s action in parting with the land, while at the same time believing in land nationalisation, is, to put in mildly, the worst kind of statesmanship, and it will bring odium on his memory when future generations find it necessary to buy it back. However, Sir Harry’s statesmanship has in reality been a succession of blunders from beginning to end, and of course it is too much to expect from him political wisdom now, when leading the most Conservative party that ever sat in the New Zealand Parliament.