THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10, 1913. THE LAND BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 10 September 1913, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10, 1913. THE LAND BILL.

The second installment of the Government's land legislation was ; introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday. W© have mot been afforded an opportunity of perusing the Bill in detail, and must, consequently, reserve our criticism for a future issue. From the brief digest of the measure given by the Prime Minister we .conclude that a determined effort is to be made to secure firstrclass land for settlement.* The Government proposes that an owner shall be notified when his property is required for sub-division. He is then to be afforded the opportunity of himself sub-dividing,- or of allowing the Government to do eo on his behalfy Failing his compliance with this provision, the Government is to be given the power to compulsorily resume. There is an element of justice in this proposal which at once commends itself. It is open to question, however, whether the intentions of the Government can be given practical effect. How many owners will be found willing to voluntarily sub-divide, or to allow the Government to sub-divide for them, oh the receipt of a notice? The process of selection will be exceedingly difficult, and there will always be the suspicion of political influence. Take* Hawke'e Bay as an illustration. How does_ the Government propose to select which of the great properties in that district are required for closer settlement P Again, how does it propose finding the money with which to compulsorily acquire land, and on whose recommendation would the compulsory acquisition be made?

! There may. of course, be some practical provisions in the Bill with which j wo are not--acquainted at the time of writing. From a superficial examination of tho proposals contained in the measure, we cannot conceive them to be effective., The provision in regard to re-aggregation will be welcomed, though it will have to be substanI tially im J p r °ved before it will be ac--1 ceptable to the country. It will not be sufficient to say that a man who holds property ehall not be permitted to '.pnrrln.se Crown lands. He must Im* forbidden also to advance moneys on Crown .selections or to operate his sisters, his cousins, or h : s aunts. It is one thing to say that aggregation shall not take place. It is. quite another to present it by legal enactment. However,', we give the Government credit for taking a decisive step in the direction of preventing estates from being amalgamated, or re-aggregated. The so-called. "Liberal" Government saw aggregation going on, but did nothing to put a stop to it. The Re-. form Party deserves credit for the attempt to bring about a better state of ;We feel sure that the Parliament-can produce a |sM6a|ure. of land;reform which willsbe4 -for thejhenefit of the Dominion, a.nd we islialt await wiith interest and confidence the outcome .of the Government's new proposals. . .;•