"LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS" LANDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 18, 20 July 1907, Page 4

"LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS" LANDS.

The second part of tho Land Laws Amendment Bill which is headed "Land for Settlements" contains some agreeable surprises, and makes one wonder how with the Bill already drafted tho Government can have been contont to do luch ac&at Justice to this tecUoa of

it in tho Financial Statement. Tho one important change which the Colonial Treasurer foreshadowed in this dopaitrnent related not to the tenure but to the purchase of land for settlement. "The House will be tsked to legislate so as to provide that the valuation under the "Valuation of Land Act shall bo tho basis upon which the price \ is to be ascertained ; with 10 per cent, added when the estate, is , valued at less than £25,000, and 5 per cent, when the estate is valued botweou £25,000 and £50,000, and 2£ per cent, from £50,000 upwards." This promise is carried out in clause 66 of the Bill, and the provision, appears to us a very valuable one. The amount of protracted and costly litigation and of hard and inconclusive swearing between conflicting experts before the Compensation Court to which it should put an end 's enormous, and incidentally tho work of tho Valuation Department and the Assessment Court should also be facilitated. At present the largo landholder, like the small one, is mainly concerned in beating tho valuation down, at any rate so far as the unimproved value is concerned ; but if the price at which he may have to 3cll is being determined at the same time a3 the value on which ho is to be taxed, his conflict with the officials of the Valuation Department may be expected to be less acute, and his attitude to the question at issue more judicial. But excellent as this change may be, there are still more important reforms in this part of tho Bill of which the Budget says nothing. In tho Land Bill of 1906' there' was no distinction drawn between settlement lands and ordinary Crown lands in respect of length cf teim. With regard to tha latter, there is much to be said for a liberal allowance in the caso of tho original term, since the tenant may have to spend many yeaTs in an up-liill fight with the forces of Nature before he gets ] any return. In addition to the long term of _ 3bcty-six years, which, however, is quite illogically extended to every renewal, the Land Laws Amendment Bill contains a generous recognition of this fact in clause 20, which provides that "in^ order to facilitate the settlement of land which in the opinion of the board is nob likely to be immediately productive or profitable," such, land may be let free of rent for such period not exceeding ten years of the original term of the board, with the consent of the Minister, may determine. These considerations, however, have no application to settlement of land which, having bsen previously held by private owners, Las already been tamed and developed. No rent-ireo period ia, therefore, to be allowed for any of this land, and tho term both of the original lease and of every successive renewal is to be limited to thirty-thxsc yesrs. This is a very great improvement, and as, subject to re-valuation at tho end of each term, the right of renewal is. to be perpetual, it seems to us that the Government has reconciled in -a, very admirable way the conflicting claims of the State ami the individual in this matter. It is hardly necessary to add fhat tho right of purchase, which the loose statem?nt cf the Budijot seemed to promise to every holder of a loase-in-perprtvity, is not to be ostecded to settlement lands. Another improvement of the first importance is tile abolition of the gambi ling nystsrn in the disnoc?l of settlement land. "Save as hereinafter provided, cuch land ihall" nob be disposed j of by way of ballots, but shall be dis- ] posed .of hy way of yr.blic tender, and j j shall bo leased to the applicants why makes the highest tender, subject, howj ever, to the provisions ■ as to,tho;ininiI mum rental hereinbefore contained." We' congratulate tho Government very heartily upon their determination to take this Gtcp. The folly of leasing the public estate al a pross* under- value, and the immorality of 'dispotim; of tlio difference to a cucccrsful gr.mb'.sr, who may bo an utterly unlit tenant will bu at an end so f:u- au r.ettloment [and te concerned if this c.'anse goso through. The St.ito will get ,-i fair rental for j its land, and at the same time it will , g<-i no automatic gU3.rc.ntc6 tliat tliC successful applicant for land will also bo competent to work it, for none but a man who can work the land will be I able to pay the rental which will be fixed_ by tho competition of the market. j Illogically, no doubt, the ordinary Crown lends are slill to be left subject to the present tyetem ol' lottery, the evils of which, however, are fo be modified by I various preiercners of a judicioua kind. J But those who think that the land is the propei-, place for the poor man will accept tho relief with thanks, and it may therefore not as a safety valve for I the liberation of the settlement lands from the national sweepstakes. Altogether the Government's programme is ' at least fifty per' cent, better than tho Budget had led us to expect, and if there is still much lacking, there is much to ba thankful for, and much that will be a credit to them and a blessing to the colony if it succeeds, as we Believe it will, in reaching the statute book.

[ Among all tho soa-birds that dash themselves to death at night against tho thick glass of light-houses tho little dovo petrel seems to head tho list of victims in New Zealand. Tnlkiag with a Post reporter tho other day a keeper, with a dozen years' expedience in various stations, said ha had known very few instances of the larger birds coming to grief against the glass, but the petrels perished by the hundred. When the nights aro stormy these pretty skimmers of the sea, around Stephen's Island, make for tho cliff from which the bright light streams. There appears to be a warm refuge from the tempest, and the birds drive for the lamp, fast and straight, and soon tho ground is strewn with battered bodies. The refugees come with such force sometimes against the thieve glass" that blood and feathers are lc£\, upon the surface. When tho weather is fine tho unintentional suicides aro not nearly so numerous, but there is\scme moitality practically every night, whether the elements are peaceful or boisterous. The replies to the circular issued by the Mayor of Petone (Mr. J. W. M'Ewan) asking for contributions from interested property holders in aid/ of the construction of the proposed new bridge over the Hutt River near Petone, are reported to be exceedingly favourable. The Public Health Department notifies that the following infectious diseaso cases were reported in the city this week : — Scarlet fever 15, diphtheria 1. In Hutt County — -Scarlet fever 1, diphtheria 1, tuberculosis 4. Annoyance was caused to several Chinese in tho neighbourhood of Hajn-ing-street, yesterday, by a youth named Richard Power and three companions. This morning Power was charged before Mr. Riddel], S.M., with having damaged a window valued at 4s 6d, the pro1 party of Jim Young Mm. Witnesses for the prosecution deposed that the defendant and the others assaulted every Chinese who passed thorn. They ] threw stones and even a piece of iron, produced, one of the missies breaking a window. • The defendant said he would take his "dying oath" that the window was neither broken by him nor his companions, and that if his Worship gave him a chance, ho world never go near the Chineso again. Sab-Inspector O'Donovan stated that only two or three days' ago, accused was convicted of theft and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. His Worship imposed a fine of 10s with 4 s 6d costs, in default forfcyoight hours' imprisonment. Maud Basan, charged with having insufficient means of sup- . port, was remanded on the application of Mr. Kirkcaldie until 26th inst. Bail was allowed in self £20, and' onj surety in £20. Rose .sdarns, aliau Jackson, on. a similar charge, wa3 sentenced to one month's irnprionment. For insobriety one fiist offender inebriate was convicted and discharged, another being lined ss, in default twenty-four hours' imprisonment. A letter is to, hand from "Old Pioneer* lamenting the gradual disappearance of I the fine old trees planted by the early 6cttler3 .-lroimd^ Wellington," as the spacious holdings aro cut up into pockethandkerchief'■allotments. The only part of tho distiict Tihere any plantations worth speaking of still remain is Karori, and even here many of the trees have been needlessly destroyed. He suggests that the Government, tho municipal authorities, the Scenery Preservation Society, or some other body, should try and devise -some scheme for saving tlie^e beauty-spots from total destruction. As it would appear from our correspondent's letter that the plantations he refois to are on private property, r. necessary preliminrry would be to purchase the land, aiiu in this utilitarian age it is doubtful if any of the bodies he refers to would uudsitake the liability. A public reading of "The Merchant of Venice' 1 will be given by members of the Shikespeaie CluL ia the concert room of the Town Hall next Tuesday eyeniijeThe following is the cast of the principal characters: — Duke of Venice, Mr. H. C. Muston; .Antonio, Mr. W. D. Ooiliam ; Bassanio, Mr. J. -R. Palmer; Sahmio, Mr. M. Williams; Salarmo, Mr. H. E. Nicholls ; Gratiano, Mr. J. U. W. D«ilrvmple ; Loienzo, Mr. J. Stilling Dutf"; Shvlock, Mr. W R. Bock ; Tubnl, Mr. W. T Brunton ; Launcelot, Mr. W. P. Bsstin; Old Gobbo, Mr.' H. E. .S'ieholls; Portia, Mrs. S. Harcourt; Nerissa, Miss Ogborne ; Jessica, Miss Pollock. Songs will be given by Messrs. J. F. Carr and Arthur Ballance. An Auckland Press Association message states that the local Harbour Board has accepted tho tender of J H. Adams and Co", at , £25,430, for five steel sheds on tho Railway wharf, subject to galvanised iron being provided for the roofing. At this week's meeting of the Wcsloyau Literary and Debating Society, tho Rev. P. W. Fairciough, F.R.A.S., "in the chair, Mr. Lowe, M.A. , gave an instructive and interesting lecture on Sir Walter Scott, interspersed with readings from the author's works by Misses Dix, Freeman, and Waterhouse, Messrs.- Burgess, Gumming, and Freeman. It is notified in the Ajjstralian papers that in future the actual weight of thu contents of all tins containing goods for South Africa must be clearly marked on 1 the labels attached to those goods. This is tho effect of a, new and important regulation issued, under the Commerce Act, by the Acting Controller-General of Customs. Information was received a week or two ago by the Federal Govprnmont that under tho South African Customs Union Convention and Tariff, "tins, jars, and other rcceptaclss of reputed weight are deemed to be not less than &uch woighfc, and duty is charged thereon, unless the actual net weight of tho contents of such containers ia printed in a conspicuous manner on that part of the affixed labsl which is usually presented to the public, and unless t&5 net weight is also embossed on the top of the container." Thi« information may be useful to New Zealand exporters. The free lectures given under the nuspicos of the City Council Library Committee will be resumed on Wednesday, when Professor Easter field will j givo one of his popular scientific loctur&j, his subject bsing coal tar, or "Beauty for ashes." Tho lecture will be given in tho Town Hall concert room. ' Tha annual meeting of the No. 6 Co-oporativc Building Society of Wellington, appointed to be held last evening, lapsed for want of a quorum. The directors in tho report they had prepared stated that the company was m a successful 'finanoial position. Tho subscriptions for tho year amounted to £970 Bs, and the redemption moneys to £2429 16s Bd. The credit balance on tho profit and loos acfount showed £1492 9b lOd. Messrs. P. J. Kelleher, and W. Whitehouse are the retiring directors this year. A resident of Auckland, -whose name has not been ascertained has written to tho Auckland Acclimatisation Society admitting that he shot game last sea- ! son without .taking out a license and onclosing the license fee. Ho signed hie letter "Conscience." A meeting of residents of Knrori and Northland will bo held in the Methodistschool, Northland, on Monday night to consider the question of amalgamating tho Karori Borough with the city of Wellinctofts

Mr. W. A. Hawkins, clerk of awards, received the fliixmillers' and the Wellington plumbers' awards from tbe Arbitration Court this morning. The fiaxmillcrs' award is to take effect from 12th August, and is to remain in fWce until 12th August, 1909. The other takes effect from Ist August, and remains in force until 3l£t July, 1910. The general secretary of the New Zealand Alliance was seen this morning Dy a Post reporter in rcgim! to t!io disavowal by the Hon. G. Fowlds and the Hon. R. M'Nab of their associntion uith tho ccaimiltee set up by the Ailianco Convention for the establishment of an ir.ebriates' home. He stated that their appointment had certainly been made, but without tho consent of Messrs. Fowlds and M'Nab, who, although doubtless in full sympathy with all efforts to reform inebriates', had not consented to accept that position. It was an error on the part of the alliance official Ts-porters to publish their names. Replying to the toast of "The Army" at- the Cadet Battalion Officers' annual dinner last evening, . Captain -T. W. M'Donald referred to the physical side of the cadet movement. Ho thought that some of the objections to their system of military drill were 'based upon the fact ■that the "soldier business" tended to overshadow physical training. While etrongly of opinion that they comd not, in an Imperial sense, afford to dispensa with the "soldier business," he thought that sports like cricket, football, etc., ought to be honourrd with a definite reference in tho school syllabus, and it was his intention, at an early date, to bring ■this important matter before the Education Boards. These games, he^ousidered, were a valuable factor in the evolution of good citizens, and ought to have systematic attention and official recognition. (Applause.) He contended that the phy6ical side of school training would thusu be amply and well provided for. * With regard to a statement mado by Mr. T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., in Parliament on Wednesday that bank clerks had been compolled to sign a petition praying for exemption from the provisions of the Shops and Offices Act, a representative of the Post was informed by a clerk in a local bank that tho hoads of tfic dcpartinenl-o had nothing whatever to do with the petition, for which signatures were given quite voluntarily. A resolution in favour of the Saturday half-holiday was carried by the Maaterton Chamber of Commerce yeaterday. ».Tho New Zealand Express Company have amplo room for Etorago of Jjoods and furniture at very low rates. Address :—2O,: — 20, Customhouse-quay. Telephone 92.— Advt. ( , Tariff revision' is a difficult matter for discussipn, as alterations which suit one ooction of tho community are not approved of l/y another, Tho increased duty on hosiery is bound to make a difference in the pries of that useful article. You can, however, escape the extra duty by laying: in a sleek of hosiery from the well-known firm of C. Smitfi. Wo aro carrying a large_ stock of the bo?t makes of hosiery, and in finite of tho rising prices and inorcaKed auly thesa goodG will bg offered at sale priced for the next few days at O. Smith's Winter Sale, Cuba-street.— Advt. Special ineeting3 of the Young Women'c Christian Association are adverticed in to-night's issue. The maetingH are in connection with the visit of Miss Spencer. , Eighty-nine applications have bosn received by the Auckland City Council ' for the position of Electrical engineer for" th<; city under its electric light and povcr scheme.