SECURE TENURES

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1922, Page 10

SECURE TENURES

ITS ADVANTAGE TO CENTRAL

OTAGO

SAFEGUARDING, FOREST LANDS.

The advantage to the South Island, and especially to Central Otago, of the provisions contained in the Land Laws Amendment Bill, was emphasised in the Legislative Council yesterday when the Bill was put through its final stages and passed. The Lands Committee reported the Bill with one important amendment. The new clause is intended to safeguard forest lands and reads: — (1) Where the land comprised in a 'pastoral run, or any part of such land is a State forest or a provisional State forest, the right to acquire the freehold of such land conferred by section 11 thereof shall be subject to the approval and consent of the Commissioner of State Forests, and shall not be deemed exercLsable without such approval and consent. x (2) No proclamation shall be made orissued under the powers conferred by sec- ' tion 12 hereof in respect of any national endowment lands forming part of a State forest or provisional State forest, except" upon the advice of the Commissioner of Stats Forests given prior to the approval by the Executive Council. Sir Francis Bell stated that the new clause proposed by the Committee was an important one, as it safeguarded' forest lands. Without such a clause the West Coast forests would be endangered, but the fear of that was removed so long as the Forest Service did its duty. The new clauses were agreed to, and the remainder of the Bill Went through Committee without discussion.

On the third reading, the Hon. D. T. Fleming stated that the manner in which the Government had decided to deal with pastoral leases was entirely satisfactory. He congratulated the Government on giving the present lessees an opportunity of obtaining a security of tenure. The absence of any_ such security in the past had been detrimental to the land which had been overstocked, while improvements had been neglected. He commented upon the fact that 90 per cent, of the land held in the North Island was on a freehold tenure or on a tenure giving the right to secure the freehold. In Otago only 30 per cent, of land was freehold, and the rest of the land had greatly deteriorated. He hoped that the Bill would be helpful in bringing back to its original condition what was now a wilderness or a desert. Otago Central had been depopulated, but they now looked for a substantial recovery. The Hon. R. Scott also congratulated the Government on the improved tenure •granted by the Act, but emphasised the point that rentals should not be the main consideration. The Government should help the settlers f,o improve their land and to increase the carrying capacity. Sir Thomas Mackenzie sajd he hailed with great satisfaction the provisions of the Bill. The reasons for the deterioration of Central Otago'had been very well explained. Dunedin had not made the progress expected because of the neglect of the back country. It wa-s certain that Otago Central was capable of carrying a • very large population. . Short leases had been the Very ruin of the province, and he congratulated the Government on the provisions of the Bill. Sir Walter Buchanan concurred with the previous speakers. . Much of' the trouble in Central Otago had been due to'the fact that' the tenures were not secure, but the country had also .suffered disastrously because of the rabbit scourge. The Wriirarapa once suffered from rabbits just as much as Central Otago, but now it was practically free. What had been achieved in the Wairarapa could very well be achieved in Central Otago. ■ However, the expense involved was too much for the individual settlers. Sir Francis Bell said it was gratifying to find that tho measure had the unanimous support of the Council. He desired to make it clear that although ] he was interested to a certain extent in pastoral leases he had not been consulted in any way regarding the provisions of the Bill, and he was not aware of its contents until it was circulated. The Bill was read a third time and passed. /