LAND TENURE--A SETTLER'S VIEW

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1676, 13 April 1904, Page 59

LAND TENURE--A SETTLER'S VIEW

(To the Editor “N.Z. Mail.”)

Sir,—l read with much interest in your issue of April 2nd. in “Passing Events,” the views of Mr Field, on land tenure. It may interest some of your readers to hear the views of a Crown tenant of twenty-eight years experience in the bush. My first try was on a lease with light of purchase. This was under the Land Act passed by the late Mr ivolleston.’ I am of opinion that this was the best Land for Settlement Act that was ever passed in New Zealand. It gave the tenant a right of purchase, so that he was sure to own the benefit of all his hard-earned improvements. It is nearly eighteen years since I took this land up, and after the first year all rny ready money was spent. But I had put good improvements on it, and I looked on the improvements as being as good as hard cash, because I meant to make this a freehold. I kept the freehold in view; that is what gave me pluck to work so hard. And so, after nine years’ heavy work, I converted my property into a freehold. During these years, I had converted 400 acres of second-class bush land into smiling green pasture carrying COO sheep. After this, a section on lease in perpetuity was for sale joining my converted freehold, and I bought this, believing at the time it was as good as freehold. Again I “slogged” away at this section, and made improvements to the value of 41500. By this time, myself unfit for any further bush-felling, I thought it time to make my will. It was then that I found what the improvements on a lease in perpetuity were worth to my heirs. Now I have put <£soo on this property. There is no sentiment in that, but' hard, heavy work from sixty to eighty hours a week. Will anybody call it sentiment because I want that .£560, positively my own, to leave to my heirs Avithout conditions? The Government's interest in this section is <£3so; my lmrdearned improvements are £SOO. Although I have the largest interest in this section, the ‘Land Board dictates on Avhat terms I shall leave the property to my heirs. It seems to be a cruel thing for a settler to spend the prime of liis life in improving Crown lands, and in his old age to find that'tlie Land Board may dictate who is a proper heir to take .over his hard-earned improvements. Is it any wonder that we ask for the freehold?— I am, etc., j FEATIIEESTON. April 4.