LAND TENURE

Northern Advocate, 14 July 1925, Page 5

LAND TENURE

RIGHT OF FREEHOLD

PIVE YEARS' EXTENSION.

INTEREST SLIGHTLY, INCREASED.

(Special to "Northern Advocate.")' WELLINGTON, This Day. A bill dealing with the acquisition of private lands for purposes of settlement was brought down by GovernorGeneral's message in the House jrester'day.

The Minister of Lands, the Hon A. D. MeLeod, stated that the bill was, primarily a. consolidation measure,: tut it contained two or three .features of importance. The bill extended for further five years the period in which thie right of freehold could be obtained for lease-in-perpetuity lands. Another clause definitely fixed the areas held, while there were in the main tpieasure as to areas which might be held on lease-in-perpetuiity. ] It was not clear, once land was freebold, how much could be held. That point was now settled. "Once perpetuity lands," said the Minister, "al- j •ways.perpetuity lands." , Mr Langstone: "Why change the ] tenure?" ! "That will perhaps take too long to 'discuss," replied the Minister amidst laughter. Another important feature in the bill I related to the rate of interest for future leases, which would be raised to 5 per J Cent. At present the law fixed the rhte j Of rental chargeable''under the renewable lease system at '41' per cent., under «. rebate of 10 per tV&nt., hrt " present monetary conditions it was impossible to purchase l iaridsi«an<?*let tliojoi-;j Cfu that basis 1 without much loss to the •general taxpayer. The bill therefore proposed to raise the rate of interest to 5 per cent., with the usual rebate, which would bring it to about 44 per cent. Another amendment related to " reduction of the period in which land must remain open for selection. This fiad been asked for by the Department. Criticism had been levelled against the Department for not putting abandoned soldier lands into occupation. If land were put up for settlement at fixed rental and not applied for it had to remain open for selection for 12 months before the Land Board could review and reduce the vailue. That had hampered the Lands Department and it was mow proposed to reduce the period to three months. : - Mr Glenn.v "2s there any reference v -;endowrient. lands?'* ' i r in this bill,?' replied Min- •: j ' \"- •• Thfejce. was. a dealiugwithre-. tniaaioia ( Qf rentl^■ said ; Minister. J % TTnder. the pres&nt -law 'remission of; : rents w r a<sa. cumbersome matter. Power had been. Weld by the Minister Ifco remit Tents in cases of hardship, but the amount remitted had to be appropriated from the Consolidated Fund and credited to. the Lands for: Settlement 'Account. The bill proposed to dispense with the necessity for prior appropriation. Other minor amendments were contained in the bill, but they provided principally for bdtter collation of the clauses.

The bill Was referred to the Lands Committee.