HAWKE'S BAY HERALD SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1863.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 7, Issue 447, 19 December 1863, Page 3

HAWKE'S BAY HERALD SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1863.

As our readers are aware, during the last session of the General Assembly efforts were made by Mr. Ormond to give effect to the resolution ofthe Provincial Cou ncil under, which 200,000 acres ofthe Provincial estate were set apart — about 20,000 of which to be open for sale upon terms of deferred payment ; the remainder to be set apart for 14 years as collateral security to the public creditor. The draft of the bill is aow before us, and the essential •clauses of which we subjoin. It will be seen that the classification of the land to be so leased was left for future completion — completion at the hands of the Provincial Council : — 2. It being advisable to set aside as collateral security for tbe creditors of the Province under the Loan Act, Session No. of the Provincial Council of Hawke's Bay, some portion of the Waste Lands of the Crown in that Province, those blocks of land known respectively as the Ahuriri, Moeangiangi, Arapawanui, Waikari, and Mohaka, and cOß'tainiiig in all aboutf two hundred thousand acres, are hereby reserved from sale for a fixed period of fourteen years, excepting such portions of those blocks as have been already disposed of, or for the purchase of which applications shall have been received before the passing of this Act, and excepting also those blocks of land a Schedule of which is hereunto attached. 3. That leases for a term of fourteen years shall be granted to the present holders of occupation licenses, over the lands contained within the boundaries of the blocks reserved as aforesaid. 4. That the terms upon which such leases shall be granted shall be the payment of a rental of one penny per acre for the first seven years, and two pence per acre for the remaining seven years of the lease. 5. That a pre-emptive right to purchase such lands at rates to be fixed so soon as the classification of the land can be completed, provided that in no case shallsuch rate be less than ten shillings per acre, be given to the lessees-over- such portions of the lands so leased as they shall improve. The term improvement shall be helcfto mean—sowing with grasses and fencing. Provided, however, that in such cases where, from the nature of the country, fencing is impracticable, and a certificate to that effect shall be given by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the lessees shall be entitled to the pre-emptive right on laying such land down in grasses without fencing. — Although the bill was set aside, in common with similar measures emanatiug from Otago and Nelson, chiefly on the grounds already stated in these columns^viz., that the Assembly did not think the sale of land upon credit cousistent with the pledges giveu upon the occasion of getting the Imperial Guarantee to the half million loan, — yet we understand that the principle of thus-; setting apart lauds as collateral security was recognised by some of the leading members of the House as a. step in the right direction — one which might have been followed with advantage by some of the older provinces. The objects aimed at by this bill were, we think, clear and iutelligible. As regards the public creditor, although it could give him no power of sale over the public lands, it afforded a guarantee that at the end of the term the province would be in possession of certain available assets. As regards the revenue, so far from giving facilities to buy large tracts at ss. an acre, as has been said, it guarded against the possibility of such a thing by locking up the land uutil such time as .increase of population might be expected to insure competition. As regards the present occupants, the measure afforded a' guarautee that the runs would be classified and valued according to quality, and that time would bo given to secure and pay for such portions as might be improved. And, as regards the working settler, he was afforded the chance of acquiring land on a system of deferred payment, a very great advantage to men of limited means. . We might say a little more on this subject, especially in reply to some very ingenious objections that have been, raised against the bill ; but, under the circumstances, we don't think that any purpose can be answered by so doing. , „ . mm _ mm^wmmm—w—m^-=mmmm^^m^~m—mmmmm^ttmemmt^mMiamttmm———