THE LAND QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 11 April 1913, Page 2

THE LAND QUESTION.

I ALLEGED AGGitEGATIOX. DENIAL BY MEMBERS GF PAlt- | ' LIAMEXT. ' At the smoke concert tendered to the Premier at Palmerston on Tuesday evening, Mr 1). IT. Guthrie, M.P., in replying to the toast of Parliament, referred to the land question and said he thought that each member who had mentioned it was referring to something that was very dear to him and to the country. A great deal had been said in the press as to the policy rf the present Government; but the policy was one that reached very closely the .heart* of every one who had the interests of the a spot of country that he. could call country at heart. The object of the Government was to give every man his own. He endorsed Mr Buiek's remarks as to the neglect of pa.stor.il. leases. Mr Guthrie illustrated the fallacy of the leasehold by quoting the interest taken in a cottage garden by the owner, and the lack of interest on the part of. a tenant. It was abisurd to sav that squatters were going about mopping the lard un. "When they saw these charges copied from ono paper to another, what were they to think? He did not believe the people were *n foolish as to .believe it. He. wanted those who stated that aggregation was going on to come forward and name the cases. The only ea-se which could be traced was that of a man who had taken a. lease il a .section for twelve years. Formerly the land was being cut up under different tenure*. He traced the history of the •settbment associations and the village settlements, and the failures that resulted owing to the poor quality of the land. So-called aggregation necessarily ensued in these case*. Another cause was the impossibility of certain districts, .such as the kawhatau, reall> good land, which was formerly ('ailed secondclass because it was so inaccessible. There was a houe of remedy ii'ow; no doubt such land would be acquire,) by the Government anfl cut un for settlement when it was profitable for this to be done. The speaker referred to a section- adjoining another, the former having been for sale {'ir: the last eighteen months, and still wanting a buyer. If if was bought, tb fl charue of aggregation would be made. The Government were in favour of 'closer settlement, and absolutely against aggregation.