THE LAND BILL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7263, 20 October 1910, Page 1

THE LAND BILL

UNEVENTFUL PASSAGE THROUGH SELECT COMMITTEE. NO IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. Practically no amendments were made in. the Land La,v.s Amendment Bill by the Lands Committee, to .which, it was, referred. .There was the expected contention between freeholder and leaseholder to modify the measure in the favoured direction, but neither side succeeded. The committee met on October 7th and on two subsequent occasions to consider the Bill, and the first division occurred on clause 3 (lessee may purchase fee simple of lease-in-perpetuity lands). Mr Anderson moved to include renewable leases in this provision, but ’ was defeated, the ayes being: Anderson, Guthrie, Lang. Tho noes were: Duncan, Hogg, Eli, Witty, Forbes, Ward. On the question of the adoption of the unamended clause, Messrs Ell, Hogg, Forbes, and Witty, the leasehold members, voted against it. LEASEHOLDER® FAIL.

The leaseholders failed to delete the instalment system of payment for fee simple. Then they endeavoured, on clause 5, which fixes the purchase price, to substitute “ present value" for original with addition of one-fourth .of the increment. On division the four leaseholders were in an unsuccessful minority. THE PURCHASE PRICE. Then came tho turn of the ultra-free-holders, who desired to eliminate any payment of a proportion , of unearned increment. Mr Guthrie moved to fix the purchase price at an amount "which at the time of the purchase would mako the rent reserved in the lease up to the time of purchase equal to the rent which would have been pafd had the land when taken up by the tenant originally been laud for settlement laud.” The voting resulted: Ayes—Anderson, Guthrie, Lang. Noes—Duncan, Hogg, Ell, Forbes, Ward. The leaseholders found themselves unsupported in an endeavour to increase to two-thirds the proportion of increment payable, and to prevent any portion, of the purchase-money remaining on interest ate 5 per cent. Clauses 8 and 14 wero reserved for further consideration. AN ALTERATION.

Subsequently clause 14, which sought to repeal the provision enabling tn owner of a renewable lease or leasc-in-perpetuity to pay up to 90 P® l- . cent, of the capital value ot his land, was deleted without division. , This was the only amendment mad© in committee. , There was no objection to the clause under which one-fifth ,of the revenue from national endowment land is to be set apart for university education, and verv little difference of opinion seems to have arisen over tho section relating to leasing of small grazing runs. There was a division on clause 28, imposing restrictions so as to prevent do. pasture. Messrs Anderson, Forbes, Guthrie, and Lang were against adopting the clause, but the ayes were: 1. Duncan, Hogg, Witty, Ell. Lawny and AVard; and the clause was retained.

COMPTJESOKyST LEASE. No objection was taken to the nni- ■ fornn svsteni of arbitration which is proposed, nor to the increase in. the minimum -age of selectors, the committee proceeding without difference until clause 40, which sets out conditions under which the Crown may lease compulsorily areas required for close settlement. Two sub-clauscs were contested so as to defeat the compulsory portion of the clause, but in each case Messrs Anderson, Guthrie, and Lang were I**" geth'er, against a majority totalling six. An amendment accepted by the committee on the proposition of the Prime Minister. reduces from 5 to 4 per cent, the basis of calculation of the purchase price on the capitalised value of the Messrs Anderson, Guthrie, and Lang objected to the payment of,the value of unexhausted improvements to the Government in case of the Government declining to take renewal of the lease, but the majority of sis again faced them. AGAINST COMPULSION. When clause 43 was considered, Mr Lang moved ,to delete the _word “ compul-.

sorily ” from the provision that where the acquisition of land for closer settlement has been recommended by the board, but no agreement for a lease can be come to with the owner, the Gover-nor-in-Council may take the land compulsorily, but by 7 votes to 3 this was negatived. , . T Messrs Anderson, Guthrie, and Lang favoured fixing the rental at not exceeding 4j per cent., without reference to the court, but they were defeated in a motion to that effect. ill- 'Witty withdrew an amendment which would have brought estates exceeding .£30,000 in unimproved value under the scope of the clause, which was then adopted. Clause 44 (Government to dispose by way of sub-lease) was accepted. * Upon the Prime Minister's motion it was agreed to add a provision that land acquired by way of lease shall lie exemot from the provisions of part V. of the Land and Income Assessment Act, 1008 (graduated land tax). , Clauses ,17 and 18, which, deal , with aggregation," >vere adopted pro forma on' the Prime Minister's. assurance-that he would have them.re-draftcd.