The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-20

The ideal condition would be one in
which the state owned all the land and
leased it out to the people on low
rate of interest on certain conditions.
Such a system n,ioh be r25 cc
to a new country, but here in New Zea-
land we have property rights which
have grown up through the past half
century which prevent our adopting
such radical measures. We had here,
up until 1876, a sort of federation of
states. Each state controlled its own
public lands and its own railways. AS
the various Governments wanted money
they sold their land and that in large
tract at prices which were ridiculously
low. Much of them were bought by
absentee capitalists at ten shillings or
whereabouts per acre. That land is now
worth $50 an acre. Other men bought
tracts of 90 600 acres, $4,000 acres, and
some of 200, 900 acres. This land they
held, lying back and waiting for it to
increase in value. In some cases they
used it for grazing sheep, with perhaps
half dozen shepherds on principality
which should support several thousand
farmers.
AT that time" Premier Seldom went
on, there seemed a craze for large
farms. The small holders were bought
out by these large ones. Corporations
were formed in England to get control
of the New Zealand lands
The lands were managed for syndi-
Gates and the tenants were squeezed in
every possible way to increase the divi-
dends. In Parliament here it was as
serted that the manager of one of these
absentee land companies had made
speech in the directors meeting in Lon
don apologizing because he could only
declare a dividend and bonus of Is per
cent at that time and stating that the
shareholder must not look for higher
dividends until the wages in New Yea
land were reduced The tenants were
charged such high rents that there was
no money in farming. The small hold
ings were mortgaged so that the farm
owners paid as much as the renters,
and in the meantime the most of the
money was going to England. Times
became hard and our population began
to fall off. This showed US that we
must change the system, and we adopt
ed the present methods to get back the
lands and put them in the hands of the
people,
are lHeTe ifldliy large ldIHlS IeIl.
Yes, a great many" replied Premier
Seldom. You see, our new system has
been recently adopted and it is one
which is necessarily slow. We have in
New Zealand all told about $4,000, 900
acres occupied as farms or ranches.
They are in the hands of $1,000 persons.
OF these, los own $4,000 acres or more
each, and nearly 400 own between 10000
and $4,000 acres each. In all the hold
iings 50 per cent are under 800 acres and
SO per cent are of 100 acres or less.
LAND PURCHASES.
we have already spent more than
million pounds buying up private es-
tates and throwing them open to the
people. We have bought about seventy
estates having an area of something
like 1926, 900 acres. The lands are not
bought directly out of the Government
funds, but the money for them is raised
in England at 8 per cent interest on
long time. The Government guarantees
the payment of the notes and this is
also secured by mortgage on the land.
The Government charges per cent to
purchasers on long time leases. 1t
charges per cent on the lease with the
as this is on the actual cost price of
the unimproved land, it makes very
low rental Of the money received
per cent goes to the paying of the in
terest, l per cent pays the expenses of
the administration, etc, and the other
per cent is put into a sinking fund
which will eventually pay off the pur-
chase notes and vest the land in the
TO 10y
leased
ION what conditions are the lands
given to settlers?''
I'VE have different methods of divi-
sion and payment" replied the Premier.
1.-The people can buy the lands outright
or they can lease them with the pur-
chasing clause. or they can lease them
for 999 years, or practically in perpetu
ity This is at the option of the set
tier. If the man wants to buy for cash
he pays one-fourth of the purchase
money down and the rest within thirty
days If he wishes to purchase and
has not the money he can lease the
land, paying per cent annually on its
cost to the Government. Such a lease
runs for twenty-five years, with the
right of purchase at the first price at
any time after ten years, or he can
lease it on per cent of it's cost for 999
years.
The Government buys the land and
aids the settler in making improve
ments, advancing the money to build
his house and fences. etc. We require
the settlers to live upon the land. They
must make Improvements to the
amount of S. per acre and must Guilt
vate a certain portion of 1t. We find
that the people like the plan and that
they are taking advantage of it. Near
ly every estate that we have taken up
is settled Land which has been used
for raising shep is now raising men and
we have a prosperous farming COM
munity in a score of places which were
formerly occupied by but few shep-
herds"
HOW ESTATES ARE CONDEMNED.
But suppose the men who own the
estates do not care to sell, Mr.. Sed-
don. How does the Government do in
such a case?"
That is very easy matter, replied
the Premier of New Zealand. we fix
the value of the land and take it, pay
ing the man for. it in bonds or cash
as he desires.
But how can you fix the value?
THAT is a part of the law" said Mr..
hffr-