THE LAND BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 827, 29 September 1906, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

A PROTEST. By Telegruph—Press Association. FEILDING, Sept. 28. j The largest meeting of farmers ever held in this district took place I to-day, when about eight hundred I gathered to protest against the I Government Land Bill. A number of , speeobes were made against the | measure. An amendment in favour of the measure only found three supporters. The following motion was carried: "That this meeting, directly and indirectly representative of tbe rural interests, enters Us emphatic protest against the Land Bill introduced by the Government; (1) because it withdraws the optional system of disposing of Crowu lands whioh was approved of at the last election; (2) that tbe renewable lease as was proposed in the Bill will not be a satisfactory way of settling much of the Crown lands remaining; (3) that the pioposed offer to L.I.P. tenants to allow them to surrender their leases and have their land auctioned is neither equitable, just, or desired; (4) the proposal to limit the area of land either by way of freehold or lease has never been before the oountry and the result of it will be to destroy the credit and upset the present contracts entered into in relation to freehold and leases, depreciate the security of rural lands for mortgage purposes, and thus ruin many farmers, Though limitation only affects rural land it reacts on every individual in the oountry, and the proposal should not be passed. Therefore this meeting that all members who have the future welfare of the people at heart, and especially those who at the last election supported the freehold tenure, will be unabating in their efforts to prevent the measure from becoming law."