THE LAND QUESTION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7915, 26 September 1911, Page 5

THE LAND QUESTION

NEW SOUTH WALES SCHEME PERPETUAL LEASES AT LOAV RENTS. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. SYDNEY, September 25. Mr Beeby, Minister for Lands, delivered a policy speech. Ho said the confiscation bogey was too disreputable for use. Tho real issue was ready and cheap access to the land against tho maintenance of the old system of monopoly and privilege. AVithin three months 300,000 acres, taken as reserves and improvement leases would be offered for settlement in living area blocks, uhder perpetual lease. No rent would bo charged during the first five years, provided 2) per cent, of tho value was spent yearly on Improvements. After five years the rent at 21 per cent, on the capital value would ho charged. Tho renl would he reappraised every twentj years. Absolutely the only restriction would bo that tho tenant could not sell or hold for speculative purposes.

No country in tho world, said Mr Beeby, offers a better system of land tenure. No man in a closer settlement district can hold more than a living area. , Ho urged that all districts near towns and railways ho proclaimed closer settlement districts. Tho holding of largo areas out of use in these districts would bo made more and more irksome.

He proposed to add a clause to the Act empowering the Government to resume the improvement leases under which at present 8,000,000 acres were held. Two million acres of this area wore suitable for closer settlement. The valuation for resumption would he done by a board, whose decision would be final. Tho Government would adopt the Now Zealand method of valuation. Tho price at which land was valued for taxation, plus 10 per cent., would ho the maximum value for resumption.

Referring to combines, Mr Beeby declared that wherever people were being exploited tho Government will enter into competition.

Tinder tho New Zealand Valuation of Laud Act if an owner of land is not satis* fiod with the decision of tho Aseesemont Court on tho valuation of his land he may, within fourteen days of tho hearing, require the Valuer-General to reduce to the value which he considers to he tho fair selling value, or else to purchase tho property at that value. The provision under which, in certain circumstances, tho Government resumed land by paying tho assessed value, with ten per cent, added, haa been repealed.