SMALL FARMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23072, 24 June 1938, Page 12

SMALL FARMS

TENURE OF HOLDINGS LEGISLATION AWAITED POSITION UNDER SCHEME DISAPPOINTED SETTLERS Disappointed that they are not to be given the opportunity of acquiring the freehold according to an xmderstanding when they took up holdings during the term of office of the previous Government under the Small Farms Scheme, hundreds of settlers throughout the Auckland Province still await legislation by the present Government under which their tenure of the land they are farming will be settled by the issue of leases. The Minister of Lands, the Hon. F. Langstone, announced last November that it was contrary to the policy of the present Government to give titles •and that "leases would be granted in those cases where promised by the previous Government." Since then there have been further promises to give leases, but it is pointed out by Bottlers that the Government has not yet passed any amendment to the Land Act defining its land policy and making possible the granting of leases upon the expected terms of 30 years with the right of renewal. In the circumstances it is claimed that there is considerable discontent among settlers at the situation. History ol the Scheme The small farms scheme was brought in by the Forbes-Coates Government as a relief measure. The idea was to bring into productivity thousands of acres of deteriorated property, Crown lands that otherwise would not have been capable of economic development and abandoned Crown lands. Large numbers of men were put at work at relief rates on development work and cottages were erected at the instance of the Public Works and the Lands Departments, in some cases the men erecting the dwellings themselves with materials supplied. The present Government introduced standard rates of pay and a 40-hour week where men were engaged on developmental work. As land was brought into productivity, selected men took over areas. Block farming is still being carried out fairly extensively in the King Country, but in other areas, notably North Auckland, much land has already been allotted. Some Temporary Leases Some settlers are holding their areas for the time being under leases under the Relief of Employment Act, but there are many disabilities in this form of lease, some" of the conditions being irksome and likely to debar transfers. The type of 30 years lease settlers believe they will obtain will entitle them to get State mortgages in which payment is spread by instalments over the term of the lease. In the event of a sale of the lease, they would be able to get payment from the purchaser for their equity or value placed on improvements, besides goodwill for the land. Not all of the occupiers of holdings, it is stated, are the original occupiers and some of these men doubtless took over the land in the expectation of securing leasehold tenure only. The bulk of the holders, however, are men who originally went on the land and developed it, in many cases doing work beyoncl that for which they actually received payment in wages. They did so with the idea of creating , homes for themselves and their families and the long delay in giving them some security of tenure, if only by leasehold, is causing them anxiety.