SMALL FARMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 300, 2 October 1935, Page 6

SMALL FARMS

AMENDMENTS TO ACT.

EDUCATION ENDOWMENT ACT

(Special to the “Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, October 1

Amendments to the Small Farms Relief of Unemployment) Act were introduced in the House of Representatives to-day. The most important of these empowers the Small Farms Board to develop unoccupied education endowment land by granting leases, in accordance with the provisions of the principal Act, to selected farm applicants. Another section allows the board to make advances to lessees of education endowment land in the same way as if they were lessees under the Small Farm's Act.

At present there is no power to make such advances, even though the land may bo eminently suitable for the purposes of the scheme and the lessee eligible in every way. No question of alienating the freehold of education reserves is involved.

The Bill also empowers the Minister for Lands to revoke the setting apart of any land for small farm purposes, thereby rendering laud available for disposal under the Land Act of 1924. This amendment has been found necessary to square up boundaries and to disposo of outlying pieces of land not required for subdivision. Another section provides for the cancellation of existing titles when tho land is acquired for small farms. This is deemed necessary in the first place to promote miifju'mity of practice among land registrars, some of whom cancel existing titles on Crown acquisition, while others allow them to remain. It is essential that titles should be cancelled to provide for the issue of leases in the same way as under tho Land Act.

The Bill also confers on small farm tenants the right to purchase for cash, or on deferred payment, or alternatively to select on renewable lease, the land comprised in their existing leases at the expiration of the present term. The term of a renewable lease is' set down at 83 years. At present the Act provides for a lease for one term of 10 years only, with no provision for renewal, but with the light to purchase for cash during the currency of the lease. The proposals in the Bill will also enable advances to be secured by long-term mortgages thereby making instalments smaller. A section provides authority for the payment by the Unemployment Board of rent and interest owing by a small farm tenant, in the event of his default, and another extends the power, contained in Section 21 of the principal Act, to make regulations giving effect to the intent and purposes of the legislation. The Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment) Amendment Biill was referred to the Lands Committee of the House.