LARGE ESTATES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3811, 15 May 1891, Page 2

LARGE ESTATES.

Prevention of Land Accumulation In acoordance with bis notice of motion Mr McOardle at yesterday's meeting of the Land Board, moved as follows :—" That in the opinion of this Board legislation is urgently required to prevent the accumulation of large estates. That in order to prevent this tendency this Board would recommend for the consideration of the Government the necessity of so amending the Land Transfer Act that no one person may be able to register in his or her name moro than acres of first class land or acres of second class land," Speaking to the motion Mr McCardle said he confidently believed that suoh a step was absolutely necessary, and thought nobody was better qualified to bring forward suoh an amendment to the Land Act than the Land Board, f Mr Macarthur seconded the resolution pro forma, but at tho same time considered the motion would be more to the point if it was read "That this resolution would only affect land purchased from tho Crown in the future."

Mr McCardle said ho was perfectly willing to alter his motion as suggested by the last speaker. Mr Hogg thought it would be advisable to divide the resolution into two parts. Mr Marchant suggested that a general resolution should be passed without fixing any area. Mr Hogg then moved as an amendment to Mr MoCardle's resolution, "That in the opinion of this Board it is desirable, in the interests of the people, j to ensure beneficial settlement and restrict the area of land that o»n be held by individual owners, and thW to aooomplish ihts object it is necessary that the Government of the Colony should retain the direct control of all Grown lands for the future." In speaking to the resolution, Mr Hogg said he had for some time held the opinion that the Government of the countmghould hold the land on behalf of'tSSpople, and considered this was the only means of preventing dummyism. He considered it was the duty of the Board to la/ before the Government tho ( necessity for doing this as soon aa possible. Mr Macarthur, speaking from 85 years' experience, considered that it was iio use attempting to put men on land without a purchasing olauscw Mr McCardle and Mr Fitzheroert coincided with the opinion expressed by Mr Macarthur. Mr Hogg's amendment was then put to the meeting and loßt on the voices. Ihe Board then decided to defer consideration of the matter until noxt meeting.