THE LAND BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8412, 30 April 1907, Page 5

THE LAND BILL.

j By Telegraph—Presa Association. DUNEDIN, April 28. At a well-attended meeting, addressed by Mr James Allen, M.H.R., at Miller's Flat, on Friday, the following resolution was unanimously approved:—"That this meeting, is fully convinced that thejop'ional system of land tenure, embracing the rightfof acquiring the freehold, with reasonable restrictions as to area> of land purchased from the Crown, is the best and most advantageous law that can possibly be devisedior this .colony, and that the proposed Land Bill of the Government, inasmuch as it destroys the option of occupation with a right to purchase,, is adverse to the successful settler - ment of the country.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

AUCKLAND, April 28

The Hon. G. Fowlds, interviewed yesterday on several matters, said, regarding the Land Bill:—"A good deal of interest is being taken in the Land Bill all over the colony, particularly in the South. I may add that in the South there is a verystrong feeling jin favour of the: Government's proposals. A>week ago I gave an address at Cheviot, in the course of which I treated fully with the Bill, and although people had been scraped -together from twenty miles round to carry a hostile amendment, a resolution in favour of the Government proposals was carridd by a substantial majority." "Is not Cheviot mostly leasehold?" "That is just the point. Cheviot was originally offered in alternate sections, one leasehold and the other freehold, and only three or four of the freeholds were taken up. Eventually the whole estate was offered on the lesasehold tenure, and taken up, there being now only three freeholders in the whole of the Cheviot settlement. The rest are leases-in-perpetuity. I can assure you that the condition of the property at Cheviot proves conclusively that the leasehold system does not interfere with first-class farming or the property of the occupiers."