THE LAND QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 163, 10 July 1907, Page 8

THE LAND QUESTION.

(To the' Editor.)

Sir,—All aspects of this important question are worth consideration at the present juncture. So far as I am aware the following suggestion has not yet been discussed, viz., that one form of optional tenure from the Crown be a sale outright of a term of years (say, 50 or 100 years). For the sake of convenience, I will call this tenure "the limited freehold." To my mind such a tenure has many points to recommend it over all others, except the absolute freehold or option of same. The following are some advantages as against any ordinary lease system: 1. The Crown would receive the present cash payment for same in lieu of receiving rent by instalments. This decidedly, in my opinion, would be" a gain to both the Crown and the tenant.

2. Freedom and facility of dealing with the "limited freehold." Such Tenure would be, or should be, free from any discretions or restrictions vested in any CroWn Lands' Boards, and should be capable of being dealt with as freely as absolute freeholds. All those who have sold, bought-or mortgaged, or otherwise dealt with ordinary leaseholds, will admit how troublesome and frequently how harassing and detrimetal to such dealings are the various covenants and provisions regarding rent and non-pay-ment of same.

3. Freedom from forfeiture during the term from any cause whatever.

4. Simplicity in assessing the value of "the limited freehold," if being, as above pointed out, free of rent and covenants. Looking for a moment at the otherside, the main argument adverse to "tbe limited freehold" will probably be that the teaant or holder would use the land to get all he possibly could out of it during the term, and leave it dilapidated or impoverished, but that feature applies to all tenures. At all events the reasons put forth by the present Government why the absolute freehold should not be given in future could not apply to the above tenure, and I venture to say that the system would be acceptable to many.

I thoroughly believe in the absolute and old-fashioned freehold, but the above proposal is put forward -as an alternative more acceptable than any other limited tenures.—l am, etc., OPTIONAL.