THE LAND ACT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 238, 1 July 1908, Page 5

THE LAND ACT.

'CONVERTING LEASE IN PERPETUITY . \ TO FREEHOLD., • (BY TELEGEAFH. —SrEOIAL COEEESPONDBNT.); Auckland, Juno 30. Under the Land Act of last year a settler holding land on the lease in perpetuity tenure may convert his tenure to freehold, there' being provision for arbitration in case of disputed valuation. In this connection a well-known citizen of Auckland has forwarded to the Secretary of the Provincial Executive of the Auckland branch of the Farmers' Union an illustration of, in his own wordf, "how the Government works the deal." In the course of his communication he ; relates that a settler in Ohura Valley, in the King Cr.untry, took up 500 acres on lease in perpetuity tenure, tho land being 45 miles from a railway station. This was four years h.'iil a half ago, and tho land was then \ al'.ird at £1 3s. per acre. Recently, for certain rossons; ho wished to convert the l«ise in perpetuity tenure to freohold, and inado application accordingly. The Government valuer immediately assessed tho land valuo at £5 ss. per acre, or an increase of £4 2s. per acre in four years and. a half for land 45 miles from a railway. A second illustration was that of a settler in tho samo district'who took up land valued at £1 per aero about tho same time, -and whoii ho applied a whilo ago to have it converted to freehold a valuation of £3 ss. per aero was put . on, although tho holding was over 40 miles from a railway, and there was no road at all to the property. What tracks thoro were to the first-mentioned : property were mado by the settler himself, and thero were no other- improvements in tho neighbourhood to create anything like an unearned increment of £1 per acre, much h— £4 2s. Tho' writer of , the' communication added: "The Government is evidently trying to jugglo tho lajid values to prevent' what it all through sought in its Land Bill to prevent, the conversion of leaao in perpetuity into freehold,"-