LAND PURCHASE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 October 1940, Page 3

LAND PURCHASE

MR HAMILTON OPPOSES COMPULSION GOVERNMENT URGED TO GO WARILY. CONDITIONS OF ECONOMIC SECURITY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Uneasiness and an unpleasant feeling would be caused if the Small Farms Amendment Bill was put through with an element of speed, said the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton, during the second reading debate on the measure in the House of Representatives yesterday. He suggested that compulsion should not be used, because farmers, if approached in the right spirit, would sell to the Government at a fair price to rehabilitate the soldiers. Mr Hamilton complained that the Minister of Lands, Mr Langstone, had given little explanation of the clause giving power compulsorily to take a property. The Opposition would be glad to give support to the rehabilitation of soldiers. The Bill was far more important and far-reaching than other Bills which had been introduced this session and given time for consideration, continued Mr Hamilton. He had no desire to protect any person who did not use his land properly or who had more than he needed if no land was available at a reasonable price for soldier and other settlement. It was another matter when a Bill was brought in with a fair amount of casualness and the House was asked to make very drastic amendments to laws after a day or two of consideration. PRICES OF PRODUCTS. He thought he was correct in saying there was very little first-class land in New Zealand, but the farmers as a class had applied modern methods and science to the land. The Minister had said the price of land had to be kept down, but the minute it was hammered down unnecessarily the land would not carry the price of improvements. Mr Hamilton said he agreed that they must not anticipate that the present prices for products would be retained unless the Government gave a guaranteed price.” Mr Langstone: “Are you supporting the guaranteed price?” Mr Hamilton: “I never did believe in it.” “If a proper approach is made I would think the Minister would get thousands of acres today at a very moderate value and that he would be more successful under a voluntary approach.” said Mr Hamilton. A Government member: “What about arbitration?” Mr Hamilton: “If it comes to that, the Government will get the pvorst of it. This Bill will force it into arbitration. Any amount of land can be bought at less than the Government valuation.” Mr Cullen (Government, Hawke’s Bay): “It is not fit for soldiei- settlement.” Mr Hamilton: “I admit that.” The Leader of the Opposition added that the Minister had not informed the House of the class of land he had his eye on.

Mr Richards (Government, Roskill): “Good stuff.” “Good stuff may be the life savings of a hard-working farmer.” replied Mr Hamilton, who contended that the only way to maintain economic security was to stabilise prices and costs. There was not much chance of New Zealand maintaining prices of produce after the war, and the Minister had not told them how he was going to handle the glut and sustain the present standards. He knew that the Minister did not want to beat anybody for their land, but there was a feeling of that in the legislation. Mr Langstone: “There is nothing to prevent anybody offering their land. ’ “I do not think so many men will be as keen to go on the land when they come back this time,” Mr Hamilton said. “It is essential, when we try to cure the ills of the past, that we do not swing too much the other way. There are many large estates in New Zealand not keenly held. If the Minister approaches the owners and says he wants the estates for small farm settlement for soldiers, he will find a good, patriotic feeling and the owners will offer half of their land at a cheap price.” FARMERS' UNION REQUEST. The Farmers’ Union, Mr Hamilton said, had requested that it should be allowed to give evidence before the Bill was put through. The Minister | was going too far in the spirit of compulsion. The landowners were the only class so far to whom compulsion was being applied.” Mr Langstone: “We hurried conscription through.” Mr Hamilton: “It is not in action yet.” “But we did not ask time for the other issue,” replied the Minister. “If this Bill means what is written into it, it means a raid on the landholders of this country,” said Mr W. J. Polson. “If the right approach is made to the farmers, and will be obtained at a price not nearly as remunerative to them as land taken by compulsion,” he added. Mr Polson suggested that the compulsion aspect should be kept well in the background. The returned soldiers did not want to be flattered and fawned on because they were doing their duty, Mr Polson said. They regarded it as a privilege to go and fight for their land, and 1 they did not want to see their fathers or mothers exploited because they had to stay at home. The history of the past was a history of serious blunders, but the blunders of the past would be repeated in the future because circumstances would change, just as in the past.