NEW LAND LAWS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 82, 5 October 1915, Page 5

NEW LAND LAWS

AN AMENDING MEASURE SOME IMPORTANT PROVISIONS. In moving the second reading of the Land Laws Amendment Bill last night, the Prime Minister said that under the present law the width of a main road must be 99ft, and of an ordinary road 66ft, and this was found in some instances to be awkward and operate unfairly. Besides this, it had also been found, on occasion, difficult to lay out a road of the required width. The proposal was to allow the Minister for Lands to provide for a narrower road. The clause also provided that if the road was less than 66ft wide no building must be erected less than 33ft from ■ the centre. Clause 4 was to permit holders of Crown land to post their rent on due dates. The present law prevents them obtaining "rebate" if the rent is not actually in the Lands Office on due date. There was provision in the Bill for fostering the wood pulp industry. Clause 7 gave power for the payment of "thirds" to local bodies outside the district on which the thirds are paid. Clause 9 was to deal with a little difficulty that had cropped up in the Otago district. The law provided that no one could hold more than one grazing run, but it had been found that the land held sometimes was all on the. high country, and it was necessary, to enable the run to be made to pay, to have a small piece of flat land added. The clause would enable this to be done. It was to deal with specified runs, the names of which he could supply. Clause 11 permitted the surrender of a portion of a grazing run if a holder of a lease so desired, if it 'was unprofitable to work. To prevent aggregation, Clause 13 had been designed. Sometimes a person acquired sufficient land to bring him up to the aggregation limit, and then secured a further section, perhaps, in his wife's name. This law % was to prevent it. (Hear, hear.) A further clause was to allow commercial institutions in Lands for Settlement areas to hold more than one commercial site. One of the most important sections "was Clause 14. Under the present system of revaluation of rural lands it was often complained that the value was excessive. The Premier had no hesitation in saying that some of the values had been 40 per cent, too high. The clause gave power for a tenant to apply to the Land Board, and, by paying a fee, to have a revaluation. Provision was made for the Commissioner of Crown Lands (an officer of the Valuation Department, and an appointee of the Minister) to make the" valuation. If a holder sold out at a higher price than his valuation, he must pay the difference in the rent on the two valuations. A lessee of a grazing run could not acquire the fee simple beyond a certain area, but it sometimes happened that there was a small portion of adjoining land which was useless unless the fee simple was obtained. Clause 20 was to permit the Land Board to give the fee simple if it was in the interests of the State to do so. Other provisions for preferential treatment for New Zealand soldiers were explained by the Prime Minister,_ on the lines already indicated. He said there were 40,000 acres of pastoral land in Central Otago available fo» the benefit of soldiers, and 10,000 acres of it would be suitable for fruitgrowing when irrigated. THE BILL DISCUSSED. Mr. G. Witty complained that although the National Government was to bring down nothing contentious, in the Bill there were two or three contentious clauses. Clause 9, he said, meant aggregation, and should be included in the " Washing-up Bill." Clause 14 was a very important clause, and was in the I right direction. At the same time, however, where land had been revalued and the rent reduced that land should be reduced later on and the increased rent paid if necessary. He objected strongly to clause 18, as it would give the fee simple to Crown lands in mining districts. Clause 20, he contended, also allowed aggregation. The Hon. W. D. S. Mac Donald said that with the exception of clause 14 the Bill was a good one. The clause he objected to dealt with revaluation. As far as it related to Crown for settlement land he had no objection to it, but he objected to its provisions as far as Crown lands were concerned. The Crown should see what protection was given to the State and whether it was doing an injustice to the Crown tenant. The Hon. D. Buddo said he had hoped there would be a consolidating measure brought down. Mr. Massey : I intend during the recess to instruct the Crown Drafting Office to bring down a consolidating measure. Mr. Buddo expressed the opinion that the Bill was, on the whole, an excellent one. Messrs. J. Anstey, G. Scott, and H. G. Ell carried on the debate until 0.25 a.m., when the Bill passed its second reading.