PASTORAL LANDS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 168, 18 July 1910, Page 3

PASTORAL LANDS.

VALUE OE IMPROVEMENTS. V

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

DUNELW, Sunday. At a meeting of the Land Board yesterday, a petition was received -from a number of runholders, stock and station agents, and others interested in Grown lands held under lease for pastoral purposes under part 6 of the" Xa'na "Act, 1908. The complained that with the exception of rabbit-proof fencing, the lessee had no right to compensation for improvements, either-against the Crown or the Land Board.-Compen-sation payable for ~ improvements "other than Tabbit-proof fencing was/the amount of the valuation thereof based 1 on the value to the incoming tenant.- -The weak point was that this right arose only in the event of a whole or portion of the run being again let for pastoral purposes. ' Frequently the run -was. cat. up into small grazing farms, and in-sneh cases' compensation depended 'wholly" oa the will of the Board, subject to i±s Governor's approvaL The petitioners : asked that the law be amended so-as to entitle outgoing pastoral tenants, ia valuation for improvements, in. all cases. After consideration, the Board decided that lessees of pastoral nms should have a guarantee as to -valuation -for improvements in all-cases, and-suggested that the Act "should -be amended accordingly. It was also oi opinion zthat improvements should be valued. _by.;arbitration and be paid for-by the- Crown, and charged to -the incoming tenant by wa_ of increased rent