DISTRICT FARMERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 August 1943, Page 4

DISTRICT FARMERS

VIEWS ON LAND SALES BILL MEETING IN MASTERTON. AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED. The provisions of the Servicemen’s Settlement. and Lands Sale Bill were considered by a meeting of farmers held in Masterton today. The meeting was convened by the Farmers’ Union. The president of the Wairarapa Provincial Executive, Mr Hugh Morrison, presided. There was an attendance of thirty.

Mr Morrison said the farmers stood for returned soldiers with experience being placed on the land. At the Farmers’ Union conference a committee was set up, including representatives from all over New Zealand, most of them returned soldiers, to consider soldier settlement. That committee drew up many good suggestions, but its report was not completed, as it was not expected that the Bill would be proceeded with before the general election. Mr Morrison said a better Bill would have been possible if it had been put to the people for suggestions.

However, the Bill was going through. The only action that could be taken now was to take the Bill in parts and make suggestions for the committee stage, of what they considered would be improvements of the Bill and would give common justice to the landowners of New Zealand. NO SUPPORT FOR INFLATION. Mr W. J. Thomas said that, as a returned soldier of the last war, he had had experience of farm settlement. In the Bill there was no provision for family arrangements where the soldier sons of returned men of the last war desired to go into partnership with their fathers on their return from service. Mr Thomas said it was not true that the Farmers’ Union favoured those who wanted to charge inflated prices for their land. The Farmers’ Union had not been consulted regarding the Bill. In the House'of Representative: last night Mr Fraser had exempted the Farmers’ Union from the caustic comments he had made regarding the standing of the people protesting

against provisions of the Bill. The Farmers’ Union was indulging in constructive and not destructive criticism. POSTPONEMENT URGED. Mr T. R. Barrer said Parliament had outlived its usefulness and exceeded its mandate. The Land Sales Bill had been brought down at a time when neither side in the House would have time to consider the radical changes entailed. The new Parliament should deal with the Bill. A motion urging that the Bill be postponed until after the election was carried. AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. The meeting decided that, if the Bill were proceeded with: —That farmers’ organisations and the Returned Services’ Association, should have the right to nominate their own assessors to the Land Sales Court and committees. That the period of appointment to these bodies be three years and that the- period for appeal be extended from 14 days to three months. That returned soldiers from the last war, according to the area and value of their holding, be exempted from the operation of the compulsory clauses regarding the taking of land. That all farmers be allowed to retain enough land for their own use. That only first and second class land be taken under the Bill, and that third class land should be fully developed over a number of years before being used for soldier settlement. That returned men should be given the opportunity to acquire the freehold and that leases should be in perpetuity. That land deals should be completed before the State lakes occupation. That no farmer should be compelled to sell his farm to the Government at . a price less than he had given for it, < plus improvements. That family sales should not come , under the Bill. ] That the values of dairy farm prices ( should be stabilised as at August 1, j 1944. i

Mr Morrison said all farmers and their families throughout New Zealand were out to help the returned men. The men put on the land must be able to make a good living, but they should not be rushed on to the land. He emphasised that the Farmers’ Union was fighting for representation on the committees.