LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10310, 10 August 1911, Page 5

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

A LIVELY DISCUSSION

MR HOGG'S OPINIONS

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Repor ter.)

. WELLINGTON, Last Night. A lively discussion occurred in uhe House of Representatives to-night 'Hi the administration of the Lands f oSettlement Act. Mr J. Allan led the way by challenging the'partial mode of expenditure. Mr Buchanan complained bitterly that* the Government was hot carrying out the Act, and by way of illustration pointed out that the Hautotara estate, at Martinborough, had been under offer for years, and its purchase was recommended by the valuer, out nothing was done. Mr A. W. Hogg said he had a special grievance. Land had been purchased in the Wairarapa, but for years not ;» shilling had been expended in his electorate, and those in quest of land nad to go north. He was aware that landowners, big and little, did not wish, ir some instances, to sell. Some of the, larger estates were divided among the sons, daughters, and relatives of the owners, and high prices were demanded. It. was not his -"-ish that the vahie of land should be inflated by the State expenditure, or that prices should !)-- given which would render the Crow tenants slaves for life. With regai'l to Mr Buchanan's complaint, he remarked that there was an active '• mand for land, and if the owner waited to sell and would accent a reasonable price, he could readily dispose ,)f his oronertv. ' Mr Vigor Brown said there were areas of land in Hawke's Bay we!isuited for closer settlement, but the owners were evading the Act by dividing them among their young.children. He considered the only way to get »be land properly settled was to increase the graduated tax. . Several other members continued the discussion, some of them complaining that the Government was not expending half the money authorised by the. Act.