NEW SOUTH WALES LAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14795, 26 September 1911, Page 5

NEW SOUTH WALES LAND

A VIGOROUS POLICY*

CHEAP, AND READY ACCESS,

By Telegraph.— Association.—' "'" . % -•-..)'■:.■::;;- ; ■;,;;, ~ '~^: Z : ~ ■;;-;■.",;. ~. >■■. Sydney, September -25.-' Mr. Beeby, Minister for Lands in 'th'«' New South Wales Cabinet, in a policy - speech, said the confiscation bogey'! was too disreputable for use. The real issue was ready and cheap access to* land, against maintenance. of the old system of monopoly and privilege. "- .- Within three months, said Mr. Beeby, 300,000 acres, taken from reserves and improvement leases, * would be offered fot settlement on the living area. Blocks would be sold under perpetual lease,, no rent being required for the first five'.years,'"provided 2£ per cent, of the value was spent yearly on improvements. After five; years a rental equal to 2£ per cent, on the' capital value wo;dd be charged. " Rents would be reappraised every 20 years. Absolutely the only restriction was that, holders could not sell or hold land fol speculative purposes. - , ■-. .■_■; ■- ••

The Minister asserted that no country in the world offered a better system' of, land tenure. He urged that all districts near towns • and . railways should-be proclaimed' closer settlement districts.- The holding of large areas out of use' in these districts should be made more and more, irksome. ; •; .'.•- ■ .':-• '-

Mr. Beeby further proposed to add $ clause to the Act empowering the Gov-* eminent to resume improvement leased under which at present 8,000,000 acres; were held. Two million acres of 'this; land was suitable for closer settlement. Valuation for resumption would be dona by a board, whose decision would be final.

Continuing, the Minister said he would adopt the New Zealand method, and the value placed on land for taxation plus 10 per cent, would be the maximum value foe resumption. > . , fi - 0 -.

Referring to combines, Mr. Beeby declared that wherever the people -were being exploited the Government would enter into competition with those concerned in rings formed for the purpose of unduly increasing the price of commodities. r