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Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 982, 19 September 1871, Page 2

A matter of considerable importance to settlers or intending settlers in the Grey Valley has been brought before Parliament. It is contained in a Bill introduced for the purpose of facilitating the settlement of the land 3, by placing freeholds more easily within the reach of persons of small means. A Bill for a similar purpose passed the Lower House ! last session, but was thrown out in the Upper House, but as the resolutions upon which it was based were again affirmed by the last session of the Nelson Provincial Council, the Bill will in all likelihood soon become law. As the present regulations of the Province stand land can be obtained from the Crown in two ways — either by actual purchase for cash, or by a lease for fourteen years, at ra rental of five per cent, on the assessed ' value of the land, with the power of renewal at a double rental, and also with the, power of purchase at a price fixed by the Waste Lands Board of- the Province. The present Bill proposes to give to settlers the right of paying a double rental of ten per cent, on the assessed value of the land for fouuteen years ; that land to be then considered to havb been acquired, all further payments to cease, and the Crown grant to bo issued. In moving the second reading of the Bill, Mr Curtis is reported to have said :— " Looking at the importance of the settlement of the country, and the considerable amount of immigration expected, the House must seethe importance of passing a Bill of that kind, in enabling persons of limited means, to acquire a freehold title to the land. Every one connected with the management of Crown lands must be aware of the great value attached to the possession, however favorable a lease might be. No occupier was ever satisfied until he became owner of the soil he cultivated ; and the sole object of the Bill was to admit of this being done by persons of limited means. There was no fear that a spenlative acquirement of the land would follow, as that wns provided against by aiiniitation of blocks' to 200 acres. ' It was quite possible that the object of that provision might be defe? ted in a few instances ; but even this could only be done +o a limited extent j as 'nothing like large blocks could possibly betaken up. Amongst the minor provisions .was one of great importance, and that was s the removal of the restrictoii on the character of the land to be leased. Under the existing Leasing Act, no land could be leased which is adapted for agricultural purposes, but land suited for pastoral purposes only could be leased in blocks as larare as 10,000 acres. It was therefore. desirable that some restrictions should be imposed in the present Bill, and the quantity was therefore proposed to be limited to 200 acres, and it was desirable that the Province should be allowed to extend the leasing, system to its agricultural as well as its pastoral and mineral land." Lookiug to the fact that the Colony is now committed to large schemes of immigration, it is desirable that every possible facility should be given to the acquiring of land for bond fide settlement by men of small means, and we feel sure that should this Bill pass, there are numbers of miners in the Grey Valley who will gladly become permanent settlers.