LAND TITLES

Evening Star, Issue 18334, 23 July 1923, Page 5

LAND TITLES

A SIMPLIFYING SYSTEM.

SCHEME TO COST £IOO,OOO.

[From Oun ' Paruamentaey Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, July 21. Tho Land Transfer Amendment -Bill, which Sir Francis 801 l has introduce! with tho object of bringing under ' the laud transfer system all land titles m Now Zealand, involves a- very heavy piouram.no of work by tho Deeds Registration Department, and it was tho original opinion of tho Registrar-General „f Lands that it would take more than iivo years to bring all titles under tho simpler system of land transfer. However, in memoranda to the Attorney-General, tins ofheer states that it' will be possible to complete tho work within five years, except, perhaps, in Auckland land district, in which about half the land affected is situated. Tho main difficulties will bo to find additional examiners and clerks, and to line! room for them m tho Deeds Registration Offices. The hours during which tho public, may inspect tho deeds will have to be materially curtailed during the process. - T It is shown that throughout New Zealand tho average proportion of titles held under tho Crown grant is 18 6 per cent., tho remaining 81.4 percent, being held under the modern system of land transfer. Tho estimated number of holdings or titles under the old system is 70,000, and tho number is increasing, in spite of tholands being brought under the Landajpransfor Act at tho rato of 4 per cent, per annum.

THE NEW SCHEME. It is intended to have official examination titles made and put on record, and to issue, certificates of title, guaranteed except as to specific defects, which may ho found by examiners to exist. The person searching tho title will then only have to inspoct the cort'ificrrtii of titl© wrfli tlio .registrar’s minute setting forth de“To issue fully guaranteed titles without requiring surveys,” remarks ( the registrar, “ would bo to invite numerous claims upon tho assurance fund in cases which abound—especially in tho towns—where tho documentary title holder has lost tho title to part of the land by encroachment and adverse possession of his neighbors, and in cases where tho descriptions of land in the deeds is erroneous. It is proposed, therefore, to avoid tho immediate necessity for surveys by issuing titles, not to be guaranteed" as to position, areas, or boundaries of land, until such time as tho proprietor (or it may bo the adjoining proprietors) shall deposit a survey plan or plans showing what tho proprietor is in possession of and tho correct measurements.

COST TO LANDOWNER. Landowners will not bo required to do anything or to pay anything for bringing; their land under tho Act, but tho department proposes to make a charge of £1 os for tho first certificate of title. This will bring in about £IOO,OOO, which is believed to be more than sufficient to cover the cost to tho country. The payment by a landowner will not bo made until registration is required, and the proprietor will usually ho saved more than tho special -foe by reason of the lower scale of charges for preparing instruments under tho Land Transfer Act.