FOR THE STATE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 18, 20 July 1907, Page 5

FOR THE STATE.

<> NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS BILL EDUCATION AND OLD-AGE PENSIONS. I & POLICY MEASURE. The National Endowment Bill, introduced by the Premier (the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) in the House of Representatives last evening, provides for the setting aside of nine million acres of Crown lands as a national endowment for the purposes of education and oldage pensions. No land so set aside is to be sold or disposed of by way of occupation with right of purchase under the provisions of the Land Act, 1892, but it is to bo administered and dealt with in the same manner as other Crown land under the provisions of ths Act named. The gross revenue received from national endowment after March 31st, 1908, is to be paid by the Receiver of Land Revenue into a separate account, , called tho National Endowment Account. After providing for the cost of administration of the Act, the balance to the credit of the account, 70 per cent, is to be devoted to education and 30 per cent, for the purposes" of old-age pensions. Clause 8 shows that "educational purposes" under the Bill are not limited. The endowment provides -for higher secondary and primary education, whether general or technical. The residue of money available shall be paid as the Colonial Treasurer directs, to the Education Boards for educational purposes in accordance with law, and in aid' of the annual appropriations made to the boards. An account jf to be taken periodically at intervals, not less than one year, showing the amount of money received by each Education Board ; and tho amount received by each board is to be deducted from ths total sum payable to that board by any animal appropriation. The money available for the purposes of old-age pensions is to bo paid into the Post Office Account, and shall be then applied in the payment of old-age pensions in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Provision is made for any portion of national endowment land being set apart as a reserve for any purpose under the authority of any Act. ■ Land Boards are cnipowcred to sell, v/ith tho consent of the Minister of Lands, and on such terms as the Land Board and the said Minister think fit, any portion of such land, not exceeding five acres in any one case, as a site for any building to be erected for any educational, religious, charitable, or public purpose, or for any other purpose which, in tho opinion of the. board and the Minister, renders such a sale expedient in the public interest. Purchase money of land so sold shall be, paid into the National Endowment Account. The Colonial Treasuror is authorised to apply sums- of money, not exceeding in any one year the sum of fifty thou- ' sand pounds (as" arc appropriated by Parliament) for tho purpose of the foimation of roads and bridges upon any national pndowner.L land or for the purpose of fTcilitrting the settlement of such land. This money is to bo in addition to and not in substitution for the sums' authorised to be expended by the Loml Borlies' Loans Act, 1901. The following table shows tho area of lands set apart in the various provincial districts for the national endowment : — _

Auckland Hsvwke 1 ? Bay Tar.-maki ... Wellington Nolson Marlborough Westland Canterbury Otairo Southland Total ... Acres. ... 900,0fi0 ... 135 000 90.000 90 000 ... 1,550.000 ' ... 450.000 ... 1,035 000 ... 1.800 000 ... 2,250.000 ... 900,000 ... 9,000,000