LAND LAWS MADE PLAIN

Evening Star, Issue 17319, 6 April 1920, Page 8

LAND LAWS MADE PLAIN

r AS TO PURCHASING POWERS 'AND THE HELP GIVEN TO . SOLDIERS. Mr R. ■T. Sadd, Commissioner of Grown Lands in Otago, has prepared, for the information of the Land Board and the local Land Purchase Board, an abstract of ' the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement, Act, the Lands Laws (Amendment Act of last session, and the Land Laws Amendment Acts relative to the aggregation of lands. This abstract is written out in simple form, so as to be understandable by lajpnen. Mr Sadd’s labors in this direction will be very much appreciated by those who wish to know exactly what these laws mean. Wa are thankful for a copy for the guidance of the public. LAND LAWS AMENDMENT, 1919. —Appointment Land Purchase Controller • and District Boards.— Dominion Land Purchase Board consists of Land Purchase Controller, Undersecretary for Lands, and SurveyorGeneral, and one other to he appointed by Governor-General. Three to form a quorum.

Functions, to control and. carry out all negotiations for the purchase of land under the Land for Settlement Act, 1908. , —Local Land Purchase Board.— Commissioner of Crown Lands and three other persona appointed by the GovernorGeneral. (Members of Dominion Land. Purchase Board shall, by virtue of their office, be deemed members of every local Land Purchase Board. If Land Purchase Controller present at any meeting of a Land Purchase Board he shall have the right to preside. In every other case Commissioner of Crown Lands (who sliall be official chairman of the board) shall preside at all meetings of the board at which ho is present. ’ Three members of Land Purchase Board to form a quorum. Terra of appointment, two years. Resignation must be mad© in writing, addressed to the Minister of Lands. Remuneration by way of salary or allowances be approved by. Minister out of moneys appropriated by Parliament for tile purpose. Any Land Purchase Board, may within (he land district to which appointed perform such of the functions of the Dominion Land Purchase Board as may be conferred on it by delegation from 'that hoard. ■Sections 5, 4. and 5 of the Land for Settlement Act, 1908, and section 38 of the Land Laws Amendment Act. 1914, are he.reby repealed as from 1/1/1920.’ [These sections of Land for Settlement Act refer to the previous officers itnd boards prior to the passing of this Act.]

SPECIAL SETTLEMENT WASTE ' LANDS OF CROWN WASTE LANDS DEVELOPMENT. Ou recommendation of Land Board, Governor-General may by proclamation set apart for settlement under this section any area or areas of Crown lands which in the opinion of the board cannot, by reason of its character, be profitably disposed of and occupied under any of the tenures on which Crown lands mav be disposed of under the Land Act, 1908. No first-class land under Land Act, 1908, to be disposed of under this section. Special conditions : License to occupy issued, but no rent or other charges made. Term of license, 10 years, which may be renewed from time to time for a like term. Size of holdings, 400 acres secondclass land, 1,000 acres third-class, com- • pitted under section 97, Land Act, 1908, On special recommendation of board and approval of Minister, size of holdings may be increased to 600 acres second-class and 1,500 acres third-class land. ■ Improvements to be effected within 12 monthssuitable dwelling with residence therein during term of license. Residence may be dispensed with for four years if licensee lives on other land disposed of under this section on which a dwelling has been erected. Advances may be made on recommendation of Laud Board and approval of Minister of Lands. All moneys expended in giving access to the land

E may, in discretion of Minister of Lands, S be apportioned in such proportions as the Minister thinks just between the j several licensees of these lands; such moneys to be deemed a loan granted to in the different licensees, bearing interest ,j x and repayable accordingly. ~, No transfers allowed, s- Exemption from general rates made ie and levied by any local authority for l 6 four years. At any time after expiration of seven t, years from date of license a licensee j. has complied with the conditions shall be entitled without payment to the fee simple of the land. * On surrender, or forfeiture of any it license the licensee shall be entitled to I the value of any improvements effected Y by him in excess of the amount owing © by hini to the Crown, This amount to be paid by incoming tenant. l ' Section 140 of Land Act, 1908. amended •• by increasing the area of 5 acres to 10 ’• acres. The board may dispose of with consent of Minister. (Sites for cheese or I dalr y factories, fruit-preserving factory, f or cr eamery, or for a church, manse, or parsonage, and for a glebe in connection , and for any other like pur- ; Section 232 of Land Act. 1908. relating r to the commencement of licenses of pastoral 1 o’!! i? pos , ed „ of , b - v wa y of auction under , Bart v I shall also apply to licenses disposed of on application under Section °1 -° f i l ? , P?, ' l ;T e '. nnd other Bands Disposal j 3IIC * l abile Bodies Empowering Art, 1910 . [Provision for payment in respect of imi provements made by leasees of pastor" 1 runs.] Section 283 of Land Act, 1908, amended by increasing maximum area from 100 to 200 acres. [This refers to occupation leases under Part Till, of the Land Act, 19G8.] Section 20 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1912, as amended by Section 13 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914, amended by substituting 200 acres for 25 acres. [Refers to areas that may be disposed of in a kauri gum district.] Section 12 of the' Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913. amended by omitting the words ‘-for six months hereafter.” [Re-■ lers to town and suburban lands which have been offered for public auction and not disposed oi. These will now remain open in the Laud Guide.] Section 45 of the Land Laws Amendmeiit Att. 1915, amended by omitting* for a period of six months.” [Refers to settlement lands offered by public auction and not disposed of. These will remain, : open in the Land Guide.] Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 50 of the Land Laws Amendment Ait, 1913, the Minister of Lands may agree with any local authority that all revenue derived from the land for any specified period within a special district shall be paid to such local authority for the repayment of any loan raised bv it for the formation of roads or bridges to give access to the land and for the payment of interest or ether charges in respect of such loan. [Section 50 is Part 11.. which deals .with special districts for reading purposes.] ao of the Lund Laws Amendment Act, 1915, amended where the licensee is the holder of two licenses of pastoral runs, or if the wife and the husband each hold such licenses, except with the approval of the Minister of Lands, shall only apply to tue land comprised in one, of such licenses. The right to purchase laud for settlement is extended for the benefit of returned soldiers for a period of five years from November 5, 1919. i* or any land taken by the Crown in pursuance of Section 65 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913 (relative to the acquisition of land by way of aggregation), compensation, however, 'shall "not exceed the Government valuation, with the addition of 10 per cent, and the value, of all improvements effected on the land since the date of its acquisition bv wav of aggregation. The Government, valuation shall be the capital value as assessed on district valuation roll in force under the Valuation of Land Act. 1908, at the time of its acquisition by aggregation. Provided Mich valuation a has not been made more than two years before such acquisition by aggregation : if such valuation has been made earlier than two years, a fresh valuation shall be made by the Valuer-General as at that date. . Diis section is h* substitution for seciow) °^,^ e Land Laws Amendment Act, and shall apply to land acquired bv a So le gation at any time subsequent to tue passing of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1918. [Section 65, Part VII.. refers to the aggregation of private lands.] Land shall be deemed to be acquired by aggregation when any person becomes the owner thereof who is already the owner of any other land. Each of these pieces shall be deemed to have been acquired by aggregation. .Mica lands, if suitable for close settlement, may be acquired by the Crown. Compensation is paid by the Crown uncier the provisions of the' Public Works Act, 1903. ‘ ' land can be so taken after the expiration of two years from the date of tne registration of the transfer by which the lana was acquired. > Section 29 of Land Laws Amendment AcL 1914. and Section 22 of 1915 shall with necessary modifications, extend and apply to cases where the Crown has expended moneys for the benefit and protection of a single holding or allotment; such moneys shall be added to and deemed to form part of the capital value of each holding or abetment; the rent on this addition to the capital value shall be at , the rate or o per centum. [Section 29 of , Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914 and ' bet-t.on 22 of 1915 and 77 of Land for 1 set Sent ] AC ’ s”*" 16 the whole e The right conferred by Section 27 of i the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914 i to select one subdivision of the former I license is extended to permit the selec-' f tion of any larger area contained in two or _ more such licenses if such subdi- = vision comprises part of the land formerly held by him under the expired license. r F This refers to the subdivision of two v adjoining runs not necessarily held bv the same licensee, but which it has been f lound advisable to subdivide so as to inelude parts of each run in one subdivision. b If the licensees of the two runs should n each decide to select ths same subdivision *’ the ooard, having regard to the equity £ qt the case, shall decide which licensee a is best entitled to such subdivision, and their decision shall be final. y On the selection bv the licenses of any *’ subdivision under Section 27 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914, or this section the right (i( any) of the licensee or c ‘ the husband or wife of the licensee to S select a subdivision of the land in any a other license, 'whether then expired or to expire thereafter, shall cease and deter- b mine. hj Sub-section 7of Section 15, Kind Laws , Amendment Act, 1915, is amended by t] omitting irom such section the words Ci or of settlement lands.” [Refers to re- hj valuation of lands and consequent reduc- %v tion of rent; in the case of transfer the transferer is liable to pay up the differ- tl ence in the rent bo reduced ; this now refers to Grown as well as settlement n Janos.j o: Where by proclamation finder Section 2o of the Reserve and Other Lands Dis- ai 1 ion d Pllbll . C , Bodies ’ Empowering «< ' c ,; an - v land has been declared n (whether beiore or after the passing of t! Arf A 10,4 t0 b rV” bi 1 Ct '■ 127 * the E ;ir 'd Z Act, 1„0d. [1 he above section 25 gives sc power on the recommendation of th» 5,1 Land Board to grant to GVown tenants ol other, than settlement lands relief under Section 127 of the Land Act. 1908- that ls ; exemption of rent , and rates for periods ot two to four years on swamp « C mb a( or bush lands.] ’ 0 i (To bo continued.) 66