MAORI-OWNED LANDS AND ADVANCES TO SETTLERS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 November 1906, Page 2

MAORI-OWNED LANDS AND ADVANCES TO SETTLERS.

In the Amendment Act of the Government Advances to Settlers Bill, provision is made for money being advanced, with certain safeguards, on land held under lease from a Maori Land Board under the Act of 1905. The following new clause has been passed:—" Where default is made in payment ot any instalment or in the observance of any covenant implied in any mortgage docket, the superintendent, if he thinks fit, may, in lieu or exercising the power of sale conferred by the mortgage docket, lease the mortgaged land for any term not exceeding thirty years in the case of a freehold land, or sub-lease the land for the remainder of the term of the lease, but not exceeding a term of thirty years in the case of leasehold land."

Any legislation dealing with Native lands is obviously of the greatest importance to the King Country. Especially is it so when such legislation is in the direction of bringing the conditions into line with those obtaining in lands held under Crown lease. The new clause should certainly operate in favour of bona fide settlers who are able to secure leases of Native lands, but who may not have sufficient capital to work their land without such assistance as is provided for the holders of Crown leases.