The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3832, 27 October 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1883.

The Land Bill that has lately been introduced into the Parliament of Now South Wales repeals the ten Acts now in operation. By this new Bill the Government proposed to divide the colony into three divisions—an eastern, a western, and a central one. Tho Minister for Lands explained that tho western divisions would be purely pastoral, and the central and eastern divisions would be pastoral and agricultural. One moiety of the westcru division it was proposed to lease for 15 years, and tho moiety, or the resumed portion would be open to homestead leases for a similar period instead of the land being alienated or conditionally purchased. In regard to the central and eastern divisions it was also proposed to divide the runs. One moiety here would be leased for 10 and 7 years respectively, but tho resumed moiety would be open to alienation or conditional purchase. What was termed the resumed areas would be held by the present lessees under an annual occupation license, but in the western division they would bo open to homestead lease, andinthc central and eastern divisions to alienation : they proposed to abolish preemptive leases, and in their place to substitute auction leases. In the eastern division they proposed to grant conditional leases of an area equal to the conditional purchase for a term of five years, but with the right to purchase at tho expiration of that time. In the central division they proposed to increase the area of conditional purchasers to 25G0 acres, and in the eastern

tho area to be conditionally 2)nrchascd would bo G4O acres, with tho right of taking a conditional lease for five years of an equal area, with the right of purchase at tho expiration _j of that term. They proposed to abolish tho condition of improvements, and in its place to substitute the fencing in of the land. They also proposed to reduce the deposit on conditional purchases to 2s per acre, and at the expiration of three years tho instalments. Also the non-residential conditional pmrehasos might be taken up, but they would not provide for a continuation of sales in virtue of improvements, except as regarded small areas in goldficlds, and no mineral lands would be alienated. They proposed that sales by auction should bo limited to 200,000 acres per annum, including forfeited lands ; but of course it would bo in the discretion of the Minister to say whether the land should be offered or not. They also proposed to decentralise tho administration of the land laws. They would establish lecal land boards and land courts throughout the colony, and establish a land court in Sydney, so that the Minister would havo to give all his decisions in an open court. Tho Bill is an able measure. The principles on which it is drawn seem to be those best for the prosperity of tho country and the settlement of that wasting agrarian war which is crippling the two great producing interests. The Bill provides for a secure tenure to the squatter and, at tho same time, docs not interfere in any way with tho legitimate operations of the selector. It also provides for putting on the soil, both in the central and western districts—tho grazing lands of the colony—a middle class. Under the present law, they have only tho small selector —the G4O acre holder—and the large squatter, leasing hundreds as~ thousands of acres. If Mr Farnell's proposals became law, room is made for tho man, whose capital is more than sufficient for selection and not enough for squatting, as now carried on. It is also a wise provision abolishing x'l'e-leases. They were always a sham and a delusion, and as unsubstantial as they were productive of bad feeling. Improvements, too, are modified. The only improvement required is fencing. That is enough to ask a man to make on land, only fitted for grazing. To demand any more is to force the expenditure of capital on unproductive work. Fencing will, it must be at once seen, prevent thoso actions of trespass which have been a scandal, and which enabled the selector to worry his squatting neighbour, and frequently the latter to ruin the smaller holder. Tho idea of local land courts is a good one. Itisaslep towards decentralisation. Tho proposition to limit sale by auction is only what -would be expected. The wholcsalo alienation of the public estate which obtained till tho present Government took office could be likened to nothing else, than bleeding the country to death. By the Bill not more than 200,000 acres a year can bo sold. This is even too much, but, as tho matter is in the discretion of the Minister, it is probable that he will never—in view of the new and intelligent ideas springing up in reference to the alienation of land—cveu reach the maximum.