GOVERNMENT LAND POLICY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19452, 7 October 1926, Page 12

GOVERNMENT LAND POLICY.

TERMS OF THE NEW ACT REPLY TO FARMERS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

WELLINGTON. Wednesday

At the last meeting of the Dominion executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, the following remit was passed : " That the Government be urged to have a more liberal and progressive land policy so that it may be able to offer and make inducements to people to take up and farm many of the vacated sections now lying idle."

" A similar remit was also dealt with at the last conference of your union," states the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod, in his reply, " and I advised that the present very liberal land policy would be further broadened by progressive Tho Land Laws Amendment Act, 1926, legislation to bo introduced last session, which is expected to become law immediately, contains several very important provisions which it is hoped will havo tho effect of inducing people to more readily take up vacant Crown lands on the attractive terms of a new tenure.

" Briefly, the new Act provides for the disposal of Crown lands in future on a very liberal form of deferred payments, which will take the place of the present occupation with rjght of purchase tenure, while holders of existing licences to occupy with right of purchase can acquire the feo simple under the new mode. The new Act also extends facilities for the purchase of the fee simple of further classes of national endowment lands, and confers on all national endowment lessees the right of purchasing the freehold of their holdings. More liberal provision has also been made in the direction of enabling postponement or remission of rent or interest to be granted to lessees and licencees for longer periods than previously authorised. The new Act also contains other provisions which will tend to ameliorate tho position of Crown tenants."