THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTH BUN CROSS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1892.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 9010, 15 October 1892, Page 4

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTH BUN CROSS. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1892.

In referring a few days ago to the legislation of last session we spoke of the Land Bill as being the most important measure which had passed the House. Nothing can affect any country so powerfully as its land laws, and this must especially be the case in a colony where the Government — that is, the community in general—are engaged in the process of parting with the waste lands to individuals who will turn them to account for their own benefit and the benefit of the community. At the present time there is a disposition to take up and cultivate land To that the colony has to look as a means of final extrication from its embarrassments, and of being carried steadily forward in a career of progress. The condition of our land law is, therefore, of paramount interest to the whole ' community. It is of importance that the state of the law should be widely known, so that all persons who are in a position to take up land should be aware of the facilities and of the conditions of occupation. We propose, therefore, to trace briefly the history of the ; Bill, and to show its present shape as an Act. i The Bill as brought into* the" House, though mainly a consolidating measure, based on the Act of 1885, introduced several important alterations in the existing laws concerning Crown lands. Ist. In introducing the principle of elective Land Boards, for the creation of which a special Act was to be brought in. 2nd. By the reduction of the upset price of town lands from £30 to £20 per acre. 3rd. In' complete alteration of the optional system, the deferred payment system being done away with entirely, and its place taken by " Occupation with right of purchase," the license to be for 20 years, and the rental 5 per cent, on the cash price of the land, the licensee after not less than 12 years' occupation, with residence for not less than nine in case of bush or swamp land, and 11 years in case of open land, to have the option at any time during the remainder of his license to purchase for cash the freehold, or exchange the license for a perpetual lease. There remained also the right of purchasing for cash, or taking up a perpetual lease— latter of which was a lease for a term of 30 years at 4 per cent, of the cash price of the land, and no power to acquire the freehold, and renewable at a fresh valuation for a further period of 50 years, the residence condition to be 15 years, and with valuation for improvements. Should the applicant elect to pay cash for his land, he was no longer to receive a Crown grant on payment of his money, but only a certificate of occupation, and had to put • on the land improvements of a permanent character within seven years, equal to 30s per acre on first-class, and 10s per acre on second-class land, after which lie. would, receive (the ; Crown grant.

The principal other alterations were in | part V.: the limitation" of the area of small grazing runs to 5000 acres first class, 20,000 acres second-class land, and the introduction of the "one-man-one-run " condition in part VI., re lands held for pastoral purposes. When the Bill, came,down from the Waste Lands Committee the main alteration was the deletion of the perpetual-lease system, and the substitution in lieu thereof of what was called lease in perpetuity being a .., lease for 999 years at 4 per cent, of the cash price of such land, or practically, a freehold, subject to an annual quit rent. In the "occupation with right of purchase," the occupant could purchase after ten instead of . twelve years. In sales for cash, the principal alteration was in reducing the value of the improvements necessary, prior to issue of a Crown grant, from 30s to 20s ; cash sales limited to 150,000 acres a-year ; residence conditions, too, were somewhat lightened. As the law now stat.ds, an applicant can purchase lands—town, suburban, or lands declared by the Waste Lands Board of special value—by auction, town acres and suburban being at an upset of £20 and £2 respectively, and village lands of £3 per acre. An applicant may take up rural land under the optional .system (Part III.), 2000 acre 3 either for cash subject to condition of improvements— to 20s per acre on first-class lands, and 10s per acre on second-class lands, before getting the Crown grant. Or by occupation, with right of purchase, tor 25 years, at 5 per cent, of the cash price of the land, with improvement conditions, of 30 per cent, or cash price, and an additional 20s per acre in case of first-class lands, and not exceeding 10s in case of second-class within six years, with rijrht of purchase any time after ten years' residence, six years in bush or swamp lands, seven years in open lands. Or he may take up a lease for 9.99 years, at a rental of 4 per cent, subject to improvements, as above, and residence for ten years. Conditions suitable to the altered state of the Act, legalising mortgages of interests in leases and licenses, were inserted. The most marked alteration of the law is the prominence given to special settlements, which are now extended to 250,000 acres in any one year. But as the present Minister has, in defiance of the law, very greatly exceeded the limit under the present law (100,000 acresX any limitation would seem of little avail. Under the special settlement system the Minister of the day may make and repeal regulations at his own will, and may declare any block of land open, on those conditions only for three years, subject to these conditions : The price of land not to be less than 10s per acre. Rental on lease on perpetuity only at 4 per cent, on such price. Subject to same conditions as to residence, occupation, and permanent improvements, as under part 111. of the Act. Area limited to 320 acres, except in swamp, in which case the area may be increased to 500 acres. The effect of this is that special settlements can practically pick out the eyes of the land, and that only what has been rejected by them is open to the general public, and there is nothing in the Act to compel the Minister to sell any land under the optional system ; so that a Minister of Lands may, at his own sweet will, do all his settlement under special settlement conditions. The Minister will have a busy time in getting the Act into active operation, in which work he will no doubt have the zealous aid and co-operation of the Laud Boards throughout the colony. The Auckland district ought to be a spleudid field of operations, and this city should be the headquarters of several associations for the foundation of special settlements. There are many blocks in the North well suited for the working of this system, where settlements could be formed in which every settler would be an assistance to his neighbour, and where the planting of a small community would mean the establishment of a school and the making of roads.