REBATES OF RENT TO CROWN TENANTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 5

REBATES OF RENT TO CROWN TENANTS.

A N IMPORTANT, QUESTION. ■ - '. ;■; . .(BY/ TELEGRAPH—PRESS ' ASSOCIATION.) -Auckland, January 31.-J An important question concerning rebates of rent to. Crown ,tenants under tho Bush and Swamp -Act camo ° beforo tho Auckland Land Board, at its moetiug. this afternoon. Settlers tf king; lip . leases under tho Act referred to are allowed to hold the land rent freo for. four years after paying the first half-year's rent. If, however, they transfer tho lease, they aro required to pay tho rent in full up till tho'date of transfer, and jt is ; optional with the Board whether the transforce sjiall bo allowed a. remission for tho balance of the unexpired term of four years. It was -the latter point that cropped up in' connection witlv the '•' transfer, "of several leases in the Opotiki district which have recently changcdhauds at a considerable profit. I The Commissioner (Mr. M'lveime) said that I the intention ;of the; Act, .as ho took .it,, was.l .to assist settlers, in the back country during' tho early,, years of: their • occupation, and bofore tho .land was productive: Jf, however, they chose to traffic in the'land, tho concessions; ouglit not $6 be allowed to the incoming tenant..''A''number of the cases, iio said, indicated that; the land wag being made use of for speculative ■piirposos, and a specul lator could take up the land, pay a halfyear's rent: do a cortain amount of iniprove'mqntsi'.aria 'then.'soll out at a', huge profit; the transaction being' made more profitable from the fact-that the land was rent free to the . end of the four years from tho time when it was : originally taken . up. This seemed •to be the position, if tho, transferees wero allowed'the"benefit of the rebate- It was agreed, aftev considerable discussion, Jo defer tiio matter until the next meeting: of tho Board ,in order that.'it might be discussed by. a fnll Board, including the representative of tho Crown