FIGHT FOR THE FREEHOLD

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9613, 6 October 1909, Page 5

FIGHT FOR THE FREEHOLD

_ «. —— whai a vigorous policy MEANS. OPPOSITION LEADER'S VIEWS. By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCLKAND, October 5. "The fight for the freehold is going on," declared Mr W. F. Massey to a "Herald" interviewer. "It will never slacken till it attains its object, and no quarter will be asked and none given. In that fight, the sentiment is gaining ground daily, and I feel certain that in a very few years Parliament will, wheraver it is possible to do so, feive the option of the frjehold to Crown tenants and over all lands thrown open. The Government has persistently blocked all movements for the opening up of 'Crown and Native lands, and thereby has placed a brake un the wheels of progress. How great that brake has been is really realided by very few people in this country, probably because only a few have figured out what a vigorous land settlement policy would mean in the Dominion. Under the present policy of stagnation industries are being handicapped, enterprise h being crippled, town and rural business alike is bebampered,\nd our young men are going off tc[[Queensland to Canada, ai.d other countries." Mr Massey added that in the North Island.out of a total area of 28,459,520 acres, there were about 15,000,000 acres now in profitable occupation, while according to Government officers only about 900,000 acres of that lot were unfit far settlement. In the South Island out of a total of M 7,456,000 acres there were over 20,000,000 acres not in profitable occupation, of which about 9,000,000 acres were unfit for

settlement. Some of the very richest land in the Dominion was included in the 13,000,000 acres unoccupied in the North Island. Taking as an average 300 acres to a farm, those idle acres would make 43,000 farms. The Hon. Mr Buddo had boasted that the Government was opening 185,000 acres in one month, but Mr Buddp f >rgot to add that out of ihut total over 160,000 acres consisted uf a few large sheep runs on pastoral license, and the remainder included a number of second-class areas offered mainly under renewable legse, Agajn,JVlr Buddo i. a J troadly exclaii-et that the lands opened for selection in September totalled 19,389 acrss, but agaitf Mr Buddo forgot 'o admit that 5, S2tJ acres of that lot were in (oe pastoral run in Hawke's Bay at a rental of £3BL6sJ per year, and that the remainder were scattered sections, the cash prices of 12s 6d to £l, per acre indicating their worth and ahn the worth of Mr Buddo's statements. "What would it not mean to the Dominion, town and country alike,'' added Mr Massey, "if those iJle acres now held by the Crown and the natives were opened up to setUement? After more than enough had been reserved tor the use of the Maoris there would be vast area 3 left that, openeJ to settlement, would mean an ei ormous increase in our exports. There would be a wave of settlement and a tide of prosperity in town and country the like of which this country has never experienced, and the revenue that would pour into the State coffers would carry the railway through to their destinations at a rate that would give the present Public Workd Department palpitation of the, heart. If the present Government went to the country tomorrow on its administration, including the administration of Crown and Native lands, I believe it would meet with the severest kind of treatment at the hands of the electors. It is a curious thing that the present Government is styled 'Liberal,' whereas the real Liberal policy is being urged by the Opposition. ''

FOOTBALLER DISQUALIFIED.

By Telegraph—Press Association. DUNEDIN, October 5. The Otago Rugby Union disqualified for two years R. Paton, a member of the Golclfields touring team, who was fined £3 at Naseby for using indecent language.