OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 August 1943, Page 3

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

LAND SALES BILL (To the Editor.) Sir, —I am very pleased to see the agitation against the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Bill. This agitation, coming from the landowners (via the Farmers’ Union), Chambers of Commerce (composed largely of land agents and lawyers), the Real Estate Institute and the. Law Society, seems to indicate that the Bill does at least promise something slightly better for Service Men, than what was' so shamelessly handed out to them after the last war.

We all know the millions that went into the landowners’ pockets after the last war, via soldier settlement schemes, and during the land boom of that period. I believe that about £ll,060,000 was paid in five years in stamp duties, transfer fees and commissions, the principal beneficiaries being the land agents and lawyers. Their outcry seems to indicate that the Bill stands ' somewhat in the way of their again getting at what they consider their ‘ lawful prey, the returned Service man. I can’t imagine any fair-minded person fearing anything in the Bill. As a property owner myself, I welcome it. There is no doubt that the great majority of the people want something better than Igst time. The Bill simply endeavours to get a fair deal for the buyer, who would be in a majority anyway, and a fair deal for tl\e buyer would logically be a fair deal for rhe seller. Of course the Bill, coming at this time, may appear to the opponents of the • Government as heaven-sent manna, falling on a field so bare as their party policy, and the most must be made of it for political purposes, no matter what happens to the Service men’s interests. We haven’t forgotten a similar campaign against the Medical Bill, which the organisers of would like the public to forget. There will be a tremendous number of the Services, both male and female, affected by this Bill and their interests should not be prejudiced by a campaign animated solely by selfish financial interests and party politics. Yours, etc., “LAST WAR.”' Masterton, August 10.

Our correspondent overlooks the fact that there is no difference of opinion regarding the necessity of affording all possible protection to Service men against a repetition of what happened after the last war. Criticism of the 8

Bill rests mainly on a contention that, apart from any question of safeguarding the interests of members of the fighting services, it proposes a measuie and kind of control over all land transactions throughout the Dominion which would do vastly more harm than good.—Ed. _____