PRIVATE LANDS

Evening Star, Issue 19019, 14 August 1925, Page 2

PRIVATE LANDS

RESUMPTION FOR SETTLEMENT HIGHER LEASE RENTS NECESSARY (FROM Qua PARLL4M2NXAEI PIEFOHTER.] WELLINGTON, August 13. Replying to a question as to what was the substance of the Bill introduced by the Minister of Lands to deal with the acquisition of private lands for settlement, Mr M/Lcod said that primarily it was a consolidating Bill, but it had two or three new and important features. Firstly, the Bill provided for the continuation for a further five years of the right of frcoholding lauds which were held under perpetual lease, and which had been renewed from time to time. Secondly, it dealt with definitely fixing areas hold, and would provide that the restriction as to area, now fixed under .the perpetual leasehold, would also apply when that land was freehold. Another important feature was the raising of the rate of interest in future on the basis of a rental of o per cent., instead of the present rate fixed by law, 4| per cent., with a rebate of 10 per cent., making the real rental only 4 per cf?nt. Under present monetary conditions it was impossible to acquire land and let it at 4 per cent., which meant a loss to the genera) taxpayer. Yet another important amendment to the existing law was to reduce the time in which land must remain open for inspection. Much criticism had been levelled against the department in regard to land abandoned by soldier settlers not being put into occupation again when the Crown resumed possession of these abandoned lands, and they again became Crown lands. Under the Lands for Settlement Act, if put up and not immediately applied for, they had to remain open for selection for twelve months before the valuations could he reduced. This inability to reduce valuations before twelve months greatly hampered the department in having land reoccupied, and it was proposed to reduce the period to three months. Yet another question was the remission of rents. The Minister had power to remit in cases of hardship, but there was the difficulty thta the amounts had to be taken from the Consolidated Fund and placed to Lands Settlement, and so the rent could not lie remitted in ns many cases as it should be. Other clauses, concluded the Minister, would be fully explained before the Lands Committee.