The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1883. NATIONALISATION OF LAND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1394, 2 June 1883, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JUNE 2, 1883. NATIONALISATION OF LAND.

A'Professor down South ks been , 'lecturing on ''Nationalisation of Lund." , The way this question- continually crops up suggests the 1 thought that it , contains tho germ of an idea which i may, in time, affect land legislation-in; .1 this colony..;- . It: is impossible to take ' it up, however, from tho standpoint of ! the Nationalisation of Land parGy, who ; ignore all existing interests and obligations in order to establish a theoreti- 1 cal scheme, but from other, aspects tho J process of nationalising land within p certain limits may possiby be undertaken'.with advantago to the community. If it pays a large'landholder, who is prepared to dispose of. : his pro- I perty to lease it in sections rather than to part with'lii-i freehold, lie is quite justified in adopting the. former alternative, In a siuiilar.manner if it paid a Government better to lease land rather than to, sell it, we do not see why it should not, acting as the trustee for the colony it represents, do the best it could with the Waste Lands at its disposal. The Government requires a certain annual revenue from land sales or land leases. Assuming that the sum .necessary for the purpose is ■£400,000 per annum, the question arises can such an amount be got out of land leases'! If it ceuld be, we doubt whether it is to the advantage of the colony to sell its waste lands. We fear, however, that but a small proportion of the sum required could be raised under a perpetual leasing systeija., Wo trust the Legislature will give the Government every facility for placing as much land under tho leasing system as possible. We are anxious to see the fullest, advantage taken of this new method of acquiring land, so that a reliable estimate may be formed of the extent to which people will take, up country under these novel conditions. If once we are able to prove that a demand exists for perpetual leasing titles, and it becomes possible to guage the extent of it, the question of how much, freehold land should be disposed of year by year in the colony could be calculated, and arrangements made for encouraging the perpetual leasing system, and discouraging the absolute salo of waste lands. There are at least thirty millions of acres in the colony which might bo nationalised, should it pay to nationalise them without .trenching on private rights or materially disturbing the land market of New Zealand. The residuum of lands unalienated is ample for carrying out a land nationalisation scheme, if such a scheme be practicable. The test of its 1 practicability is the,willingness of individuals to lease land, and : this can only ho ascertained by experience. It is at present altogether premature to

' talk of the State acquiring .lands now vested in private persona, The advocacy of this pliuze of the scheme is a grove error in judgment on the part of a few enthusiastic individuals. A reform in . land tenure is possible, but a sudden revolution such iw some advocate is ail impossibility. Existing freeholds must be considered sacred/ but'if the good of the community could be promoted by preventing or limiting the creation of new ones sc much the better. Of course a sudden stoppage) ef tho sale of Crown Lauds would disturb to a very undesirable extent the price of land throughout the colony, and from every point of view a gradual cessation would be the only alternative which could prudently be adopted. This too would be dependant on a simultaneous increase of applications for perpetual leaseholds. As yet we have no facts before lis which will enable us to calculate on the probabilities of the latter and without such data the nationalisation of land must be regarded as a doubtful expedient,

The annual meeting; of the Alfredton Licensing Committee takes place to-day' ' This is the monthly pay day of tho Masterton Building Society, Mr F, H, Wood adds to his sale oil the Bth inst 35 first-class horses (mostly Premiers) broken and unbroken, all ages. On our fourth page will be found an interesting article on pastoral exhibits, and one or two humorous extracts. Yesterday afternoon Percy Freeth, alad of about fifteen, the son of. Mr J, J. Freeth, of this town broke one of • his arms while scrimmaging among other boys at the public school in a football game. Ihe membors of the Groytown Philharmonic Society had a meeting on Thursday evening to take into consideration the advisability of winding up the affairs of the sooiety or no. After considerable discussion it was resolved that the practices be continued, it liaviug been intimated that Mr Wilson would continue to conduct. Tho members of the Oddfellows L'kUo Greytown will tullo\v the roimini of Mr Quin to tho gruvo, The deceased was a member of the order lor a great number of years. The Groytown Fire Brigade had a good praotice from one of the new wells on Thursday evening, but the attendance of members was not at all up to the mark. The capiaiii has not as yot inllictod lines, but in the face of the poor attendance at the last practice lie intends to strictly enforce them for non-attendance at practices, &o. The Council Chambers and Working Men's Club came in for a good washing at the practice, a grand stream of water being thrown on them, Next Thursday week the quarterly meeting of members will bo held. The usual weekly meeting of the Masterton Debating Society was: held last evening at the Institute, Mr T. Hall being voted to'the chair, The question of County Government was postponed until next meeting, as Mr G. Beetham had expressed a desire to be present at the debate and was not able to atteiid last evening. For the four weeksended 31st March, no fewer -than r 19,900 passengers were earned on the Wellimjton and-. Masterton jltailway as against 13,103 for the corresponding period of last year. The goods' traffio showed a ■ similarly substantial inoirease. -J ' _ •• Gentlemen—We are doing, business at a disadvantage. by not having, sufficient room to show t our extensive stocks, but'propose to hold our large and valuable trade; by offering,gent's, youth's and boys' Buits, winter lkts, and boots and shoes at first cost. : Rapp &-Hare.—Advt, 1 i * ! r,A

■ .'William Murphy is making satisfactory,progress at the Masterton Hospital so far.fsj Tha lower pait .of liis apiue ia oitheiy fraotured or but pending the' aujsideuce of local inflammation, it: I)us been impracticable as yet to determinethe exact oharacter of tho injury.: The patients.general symptoms are, ■however,' favorable, and in a day or 1 two an effort will be made to reduce the fracture or -dislocation ob tho case maybe. The N, Z, Times understands tho .list of Justices'of the Peace has just. been revised by the Minister of Justice,, and •that among the narnos removed, for various reasons or by request, are those of Mr P., Moeller, Major Edwards, and Ml'Willis. A large and influential meeting, of Beltleis was held at Wanganui on Thursday afternoon, Mr' Freoman E. Jackson _m the chair. Messrs Buchanan and Beetham', of llio Wairarapa, made long and interesting statements as to the operations of the .Wellington Meat Export Company, and the meeting resolved, on ;the moiion ■of Mr B-. Pharazyn, that settlors of tho coast, should do all they could .to assist' tlie' company, both by taking Bharcs and exporting stock and produce as soiiii as-satisfactory arrangement caiv be made for the transportation of the dead meat from Wnhgariui or other ports;jon this coast, either: by rail or steamer to' Wellington. An influentialcommittee was also, appointed to canvass thedislriot aud to further the Yie.ws of the meeting. . . . ' ■ Eain was the order of the day in the early part of the week, accompanied with strong breezes, then fine weather and light winds, the'remainder'of it. Rain fell on four days, producing a rainfall of 680 parts,of an inch. I have not recorded during the nine years of reports on the werther in New Zealand so low a degree, on the baroraeter.as the one on tho 28th of last month, when it stood for a short timo at 28,55 inches. The mean reading for the week being 29 035 inches, and it may be remarked it is a surprise we have not had more stormy weather through the' week. The mean for the thermometer is 54 5 fall, The total rainfall for hsi month 'wbb 7.085 inches, for the same month last year it was only 2185 inches, The rain fall therefore this year is inuoli above the average. It was fine ou 12 dayo, and rain fell on 19 days, and on 9 days it was frosty. The mean reading oi the barometer for May is 29.34 inches; and for the thermometer it is 49.5 Fall, for the same month. The averages for the same month at Wellies in previous years are rain fall 4.508 inches, barometer 29.931 inches, thermometer 52,8 Fall.

Tim principal attraction in Queen-street this afternoon is a magnificent display of new Roods at the Hall of Commerce, opposite the Club Hotel. Wo are informed that the new ijootls now being shown is the third winter shipment uf this season, and consists of millinery, dress uoods, silks, satins, velvets, plushes, and aborted woollen goods; Wo had oueasiou to take notice of the very nice display of 6, W. ScHEODEit's first and second winter shipments this seasou, but tho present show exceeds the two previous ones as regards display and novelty.—Adyt. . A series of popular concerts in Iho Theatre Royal, Masterton, under the auspices of the Masterton String Band are announced. The opening night is Friday next, and in addition to the local amateurs; who have kindly consented tu assist at the entertainment, the services of the celobraled comedian, Barry O'Neill, have boon secured, The prices are chairs 2s, raised seals Is. Tho'question has often been asked how it is that the public can always obtain ai. tho Bon Marche at such reasonable prices the latest novelties, textures, and designs Buch as are now being worn in all the most fashionable towns in tho world, and described in the leading Fashion Books of the day and not at any other shop in Masterton, and in some cases not in Wellington ? The reason to us is obvious. L, J. Hooper & 00., the proprietors, are thorough experta at their business, and buy well, only in the very best markets, awl'at such prices as will enable tliern to sell well and cheap, and give their cus tomers the benefit of their knowledge and experience. Also not being bound.to pnvchaso only from the Wellington merchants they import themselves for cash, thereby getting a large discount, saving all middle profits, and procuring the latest fashions, We advise overyone to see their stock of millinery, dress goods, hosiery,men's and boys' clothing; also look on another page of this paper for their—ADVERTISEMENT.

Come on Saturday mid get a good pair White Blankets foe 16s 6d.—Rapp & Hare's Come on Saturday and get Wool Socks Is.-Bipp & Hark. Cairo on Saturday and get an Overcoat for 25s.—Emporium, Come on Saturday and get a Winter Suit for 22s 6d.—Rapp & Hare; Come on Saturday and got a pair of Moleskin Trousers for (is 6d.-Emporium.—Auvt. Wo liavo purchased iu the colonial market G7 dozen of gentlemen's white shirts, marvellously cheap, and howevor uusaticfaotory the price paid must be to the importers, the public mil be none the le3B glad to reap the benefit, These shirts, made of really good material, and honestly worth 8s (id each of any man's money, we shall sell at 3s fi'd. The. aooret of tliis is that thoy. liavo not militaiy fronts, -but manifold pleats, and do not button , behind but before Nevertheless they will look every bit as well, and wear vastly better than one of tho.other sort at a much hieher price. Many gentlemen of the present day infinitely prefer this style, and it is very certain that our ancestors patronised no other shape, If Julius Oroaar wore a shirt at all, dopond upon it that he would as soon have turned his back on his foes as have worn one buttoned behind. It is morally certain that Nelson, tho hero of Trafalgar, won all his victories in a shirt buttoned iii front, whilst we may take it for granted' that the Iron Duke at Waterloo sangout tho command, 11 Up Guards and at them," from behind the bosom of a many pleated shirt. Where ancestors and heroes lead tho way, we may safely follow, and advantageously purchase these marvellously cheap and excellent quality shirts at James Smith's, To Aro House, Wellington.—Advt.