The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Tuesday, December 6, 1887. THE LAND BILL.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 76, 6 December 1887, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE. Published Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Tuesday, December 6, 1887. THE LAND BILL.

Be just and fear not;. Let all the ends thou aira’st at be thy oountry'i. Thy God’s, and truth’s.

To every person in this district the progress of the new Land Bill now before Parliament should be of more than passing interest. So much has already been said of the advantages which must necessarily follow the throwing open to settlement the Crown lands that it is almost unnecssary to make comment. In the East Coast we- have had a peculiar experience as to the fads of previous Ministers in legislating on the question. That experience has taught us that Ministers were absolutely ignorant of the subject with which, unfortunately, they had to deal, It must be apparent to even the most narrow-minded—and we are sorry to have to set the ex-Minister of Lands amongst this class—that the distinct inclination of the people has been to obtain the freehold of a piece of land, but Mr Ballance and Ministers' before him have had schemes and fads of their own which have been the means of retarding settlement to an incalcuable degree. These have shut out all foreign capital and have such restrictions as to make it impossible for any sane man to become a settler. It is indeed pleasing to see that the present Ministry have brought in a measure which will altogether alter the present ridiculous system, and bring to pass the object which any Government should keep steadily in view—the opening up of the land to settlement. In the Financial Statement Major Atkinson told us p'ainly that it was the intention of Government to do all in its power to settle people upon the land The measure now before the House is a great advance in that direction. Any person, should the Bill become law, and there is every probability that it will, may suit his own inclination as to whether he will take the land in the freehold or under pepetual lease. Further those who have been silly enough to take up land under the preposterous conditions now existing will be allowed to purchase their holdings. No person shall purchase in any one survey district more than 640 acres of ordinary land and 2,000 acres of second class land. This restriction is made to prevent a monoply by one or more persons who are always so eager to out-1

strip small capitalists. The condition is a necessary one. The prescribed area is sufficiently large for a man to make a comfortable.home.for. his wife and family. Of course there is the opening that one individual can buy from another, and it is difficulty to see how this could be avoided. There can be no doubt that the proposed amendment will be a wonderful stride towards developing the natural resources of the colony, - and will be Of immense benefit to districts such as ours. Under the Act Waste Land Boards will be abolished. One great feature is that anyone wishing to purchase a piece of land will be able to make a selection before a survey has been made. The objections which we have so often complained about in the existence of absurd restrictions imposed on the occupation of land have been removed by the provisions of the Bill, and we may congratulate ourselves on the existence of such a liberal measure.