THE LAND BILL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 14503, 15 October 1907, Page 8

THE LAND BILL.

FURTHER CLAUSES CONSIDERED. THE. GRAZING LEASES. [From Ora Ookejssfondini.] WELLINGTON, October 14. The House of Representatives resumed the consideration of the Land Bill in committee this evening. Thirtyeight clauses out of the seventy-five contained in the measure had been passed during the previous week. SURFACE SOWING. C'iause 39 provides that the holder of a pasturage lease may cultivate portions of his run for the purpose of growing winter feed, and may also plough and lay down in grass or surface • bow in grass an area not exceeding 3000 acres. Compensation is to ’be allowed, for this latter improvement at the end ' of the term.

Several members t expressed the opinion that while ploughing was often a dangerous experiment on pastoral country, no limit should be placed on the amount of surface sowing done. The Hon T. Y. Duncan said that many runs had been reduced in value by burning for purposes of surface sowing. Mr Rutherford said that the back country was capable of enormous development with surface sowing. Ho had seen cocksfoot and oowgrass growing at heights of 4000 ft or 5000 ft, the splendid rainfall making up for the poor character of the soil. Ploughing on the back country was a mistake.

After considerable discussion, the House adopted an amendment, moved by Mr Flatman, giving a tenant power to surface sow- any area, the limit of 3000 acres applying only to ploughing. THE RIGHT OF RENEWAL. Sir William Steward moved new' subsections providing that the holder of a pasturage lease should have the right of renewal at a revaluation at the end of his term. If the Board had decided that the holding should bo subdivided, the original tenant was to have his choice of the blocks at the rent fixed by the Board. The mover said that under existing conditions the lessees had yio security of tenure, and consequently did not put in improvements or keep ihe land up to the best standard when termination of the lease was approaching.

The Minister of Lands opposed the amendment. Ho said that the pasturage leases were intended to be temporary tenures. Conditions were changing all the time, and as time went on subdivision, would become possible over large areas at present let under short pastoral leases. The amendment would really mean tying up the land and seriously reducing the area available for settlement. Sir Steward said that hie idea was that the tenant in possession should be given the preference if the Land Board did not desire to further i Subdivide the land.

The new sections were rejected on the voices.

The Minister promised to bringdown an amending clause increasing the amount that might be paid in compensation for improvements at the end of a pastoral lease, and the clause was then adopted. ■TRAVELLING STOCK. Clause 40 proposed an amendment of the law in regard to the rights of travelling stock. Under the existing law, travelling stock may be depastured for periods not exceeding twenty-four hours on any unsold Crown land within one-quarter of a mile of the road or track. The Bill proposes to limit this right to unfenced lands not within one mile of a homestead, the old law having subjected settlers to hardships in some cases.

Several members' urged that travelling stock must be given some rights, and that trouble would arise at once if they were limited to unfenced pastoral land. The drovers could not depend upon the men holding the surrounding land being “white men,” and if the read had been fenced off might be unable to secure pasturage.

Mr James .Allen moved to strike _put .the word “ pastoral ” for the purpose of inserting “ Crown,” but this was rejected on a division. The danse was adopted without amendment. FLAX LEASES. ' A long discussion took place.in regard to a clause empowering Land Boards to lease by auction flax areas not exceeding 2000 acres for a term not exceeding fourteen years, with right of renewal for a similar term at a rental to be fixed by the Board. The clause had been designed specially to meet the case of large areas of swamp land in the North Island, and the Minister mentioned that if the drainage operations undertaken by the Government in connection with the Piako Swamp proved successful other swamps would be reclaimed. A proposition to extend the term to twenty-one years was rejected. An amendment by Mr Massey, proposing that the rental for the second term should b© fixed by arbitration instead of by the Land Board, was also rejected, and finally the Clause was adopted unamended. MISCELLANEOUS CLAUSES. Several minor amending clauses were considered at lenrth. A clause providing that the Government should be entitled to deduct for expenses a sum equal to 10 per cent of the royalties payable to local authorities in connection with the cutting of timber and flax on Crown lands was struck out from the Bill.

Clause '47, which gives power to a Land Board, with the consent of the Minister, to sell areas of _ Crown land not exceeding five acres in one allotment for the purposes of a dairy factory, cheese factory, fruit preserving factory and creamery was extended so as to" cover such other purpose as might be deemed expedient by the Board and Minister. The House then rose.