RESOLUTIONS ON THE LAND QUESTION, BY THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

North Otago Times, Volume IV, Issue 68, 8 June 1865, Page 3

RESOLUTIONS ON THE LAND QUESTION, BY THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

The following are the resolutions on the Land Question, as finally settled and agreed to in the Provincial Council, which are to he emhodied in a bill and brought before the General Assembly : — 1. That it is advisable lo consolidate the various Land Acts and Regulations affecting the Province of Otago, with a view to the removal of practical difficulties in their administration. 2. That vrith the exception of existing rights the Land Sales and Leases Ordinances be not incorporated in the Consolidation Act. 3 That it is advisable to continue the present system of Hundreds. 4. That twelve months prior to each of the now existing licenses of the various runs falling in, it is desirable to offpr a lease of the same or a. part thereof, not under 30,000 acres, to the then occupier, subject to the provisions mrule in Resolution No. 3. for the proclamation of Hundreds and the following conditions, particulars of which are to bj given at the time the offer is made : — 1st. That assessors, who shall be appointed by the Supeiintendent, and approved of by the Provinci.il Council, shall estimate the carrying ca «acity of the run. 2nd. That a rate of 7d. per head for sheep, and 3s. 6d per he,id for cattle, be annually levied on the entire quantity of stock that the run is estimated capable of carrying. 3rd, That the leases be granted for such periods as may be determined by the Waste Land Board, not in any case to exceed ten years. 5. That should any licensee not decide within three months after the offer to become the lessee of the run or portion of run as provided in Resolution 4, in his occupation at the assessed rental, then the run shall be put up to public auction, under direction of the Waste Land Board, either in whole or sub-divided, if the Board shall consider it expedient, aud let to the highest

bidder : Provided that should no bid bu made at the assessed rental or at a premium upon the same, then the run shall bo put up to auction at a reduced rental. 6. That the assessment shall be paid one year in advance. 7. That any purchaser of the lease of a run shall, within one month after the purchase, give to the Board satisfactory security that ho will perform the conditions of purchase. 8. That as renewed lenses fall in, the carrying capacity of the runs shall be again assessed, as provided for in Resolutions 4, sub-section 1. 9. That lessees un.ler renewed leases, or lessees who have purchased leases of runs put up to auction, or whose runs are taken for Hundreds, shall be entitled to valuation for improvements in necessary buildings, plantations, fences, and ditches for drainage ; the improvements in no case to exceed three years of the assessed rental. 10. That subject to conditions in Resolution 8, 'such lessees shall, twelve months before the termination of their leases, be allowed a further renewal at the assessed rental ; but if they decline to accept of a renewal, the run shall be treated as provided for in Resolution 5, and the in-coming tenant shall pay for the improvements ut the assessed value. 11. That the improvements shall be valued by the assessors appointed by the Superintendent and approved by the Council, as provided in Resolution 4, sub-sec-tion 1 . 12. That holders of agricultural leases on Goldfields shall, after being three years in possession, have the option of purchasing the land held on lease at the then upset price, free 8 from conditions of improvements, provided the Government do not elect to take the land and give valuation for improvements. 13. That those who purchased lands more than four years before the Otago Waste Lands Act, No. 2, 1803, came into operation, and did not elect to come under any of the provisions of the 8th clause of the Act, shall be charged the tax of 2s. per acre until they complete improvements to the amount of 40s. per acre ; the tax to be levied as commencing from the 20th March, 1865. 14. That those who purchased land less than four years before the Ota«;o Waste Lands Act, 1863, came into operation, and did not make an election as therein provided, shall be charged the tax of 2s. immediately on the termination of the four years allowed by the '•Waste Land Regulations, 1856," until they have completed their improvements. 15. That the Land Regulations be so modified as to permit of the establishment of District Land Offices where the Waste Laud Board shall think fit. 16. That lands situated within any portion of a Goldfield over which a Pastoral License does not exist or has been cancelled or suspended, may be sold or otherwise dealt with in the same manner as lands of the same class outside Goldfields. 17. It shall be lawful for the Superintendent to make, alter, or revoke regulations for the management of any lands within proclaimed Goldfields over which a Pastoral Lease or License does not exist, or has been cancelled or suspended, and to regulate the number of horses or cattle which may be run upon such lands by the holders of Miners' Rights or Business Licenses, or Mining, Mineral, or Agiicultural Leases, or by other persons, and also to grant licenses for depasturing any greater number of sheep or cattle theron, and to regulate the fees which shall be paid therefor. 18. That licenses under existing Pastoral Licenses may come under the provisions of the proposed Consolidated Act, provided they elect to do so within six months of the passing of the Act by the General Legislature. Addition to Resolution 18 : — Provided also that the existing license shall in that case bo considered as terminated, and the licensee shall consent Jo the conditions of Resolution 4, and the licensee shall have consented to those provisions. 19. That the amended Regulations, passed at the last session of the Provincial Council, be adopted in the new Act, with the omission of the words printed in italics (see pages 60, 61, 62, Votes and Proceedings of the Provincial Council, Session XIX) 20. That nothing in these Resolutions shall be constructed to prevent any alteration of the Act, as regards the rates at which stock may be assessed as the new pastoral leases respectively fall in. 21. That the Waste Land Board be empowered to issue Licenses for the following purposes, viz. : — Cutting and felling timber, raising of lignite or coal, removal of clay for bricks or pottery, removal of sand, gravel, or stone, working of quarries, sites for saw mills, flour mills, sites for tanneries, iellmongers' yards, sites for slaughter yards, brick kilns, sites for potteries, ferries, jetties ; and, generally, such other purposes as may be decided by the Board to come within the scope and intention of this resolution, and to charge such rates of license fee as they shall see fit. 22. As regards the improvements to be put on lands pui chased before such lands shall cease to be taxed : That these improvements shall be of a substantial and permanent character ; and the Waste Land Board in cases of doubt shall have the power of testing their bona fide character before remitting the tax ; the words " substantial and permanent 1 ' impiovoments shall mean and include cultivation, fencing, plantation, clearing- or draining, and the making of dams, wells or resorvoirs, or of a habitable dwelling house, or farm or other buildings, upon, and permanently attached to the soil. 23. That the provisions of the Waste Land Act to bo prepared from these Resolutions shall be in force, anything in the Goldfields Act, 1862, notwithstanding. 24. That tho Waste Land Board shall charge a fee of L10 for transfer of license or lease of run. 25. That a Bill, in accordance with these Resolutions, be prepared ; a"d that the Representatives of Otago in the Assembly be requested to take charge of it. 26. That the following addition be made to Clause 3, Orago Waste Lands Act (No 2.), 1863 :— "Provided that no tax shall be levied on unsurveyed land, when sold with the condition lhat the Government shall effect the survey, until such survey is completed : Piovided that the same shall be surveyed, by the purchaser or the Waste Land Board, within six months of the application for purchase of the jame : Provided also that any purchaser of rural land who does not get his land surveyed within six month 51 after his purchase can call upon the Government to do so ; and in default thereof he can do so himself, as provided for by Clause 4 of the amended resolutions."