CROWN LANDS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 88, 15 April 1913, Page 5

CROWN LANDS.

THEIR ACCESSIBILITY FOR

SETTLEMENT.

THE MARLBOROUGH PRO-

POSAL.

In accordance with notice, Mr J. Fulton, moved as follows at the meeting of tho Land Board to-day: — "That in eases where there are any pieces of Oown lands without reasonably practical road access thereto, it shall be lawful for the Minister for Lands to agree to grant to the owner entitled thereto an area of Crown lands for an area of any adjoining laud .of equal value for the same estate as that land owned or leased by him; and failing an agreement being made between the Minister and the owner, the matter, with the consent of the Minister, be settled by the Arbitration Act of 1908, or by a Judge of the Supreme Court and two assessors, as provided for-by Part 111 of the Public Works Act, 1903. Any order or award made by arbitration or under the Public Works Aot, 1908, shall be final and binding on all parties." Mr Fulton said that the/process he proposed would vo doubt require more machinery than his motion indicv'~-1, but this was a detail that could bo fiTed in by the responsible authorities if the main principle wore accepted. Under present conditions the Board was seriously hampered in its efforts to open up Crown lands hemmed in by freehold country, and owners of the intervening freehold land were simply able to laugh at the Board— not only when it was a question of arranging compact and valuable blocks for closer settlement, but also when fhere was a fair case for an increase of leasehold rentals. The reform he Migpjested was designed to place the Board on a more advantageous footing- in these respects The Commissioner remarked that the trend of public policy had been against the compulsory principle in ko far as it was injurious to the integrity of the freehold title.

Mr MeCallurn seconded the motion. The general principle was a worthy one; and if a satisfactory modus operandi could be formulated an excellent caxise would have been served. He did not like doing anytliing; that would unwarrantably disturb a man's title: but if Mr Fulton's aim could be achieved without inflicting injustice in this connection, it had his sympathy. Mr Storey supported the motion, in general terms.

The motion was carried