VICTORIAN SELECTORS' ARREARS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIII, Issue 10598, 6 March 1895, Page 5

VICTORIAN SELECTORS' ARREARS.

SCHEME FOE EEPAYMENT. [■Special to Press Association.] MELBOURNE. March 5. The Government is considering a scheme propounded by the Surveyor-General for ■wiping out the arrears of selectors’ rents. The Argus says that if selectors cannot pay their rent because they hold too much land, it is proposed if at the end of the second year’s arrears the selector is still unable to pay. Government shall appropriate one-fourth of his holding, with a proportionate resumption each year the arrears continue till the holding is reduced to the minimum, one hundred and twenty acres. It is considered that the selector ought then to be able to pay the rent of a smaller area and turn it to better account. Selectors are to be compensated for improvements on the lands resumed less one half, which goes to Government. The incoming tenant will have to pay for improvements in addition to the rent. As about four-fifths of the selections are mortgaged, the Surveyor-General proposes to deal with the mortgagees the same as the selectors. Concurrently with the adoption of the scheme, it is suggested that settlers in the poorer village settlements shall be given richer holdings near selectors with larger areas, who could find them employment.