THE LAND BILL

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8289, 18 September 1903, Page 4

THE LAND BILL

■ -~_.» ■.-- By»Tje%iaphc=;. .' >-:"-'- ■'- (From Onp Own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 17. The amended Land BUI is a very simple measure proposing to settle the various questions which have arisen in the practice of the Lands Department since the passing of the Land Act of 1892. -ill "who haye experience of applications for land know the perplexity caused by the wording of the limit of quantify of 2000 a.cres, inclusive of 640 i acres of first-class land. The amendment ! is the substitution of 2000 acres, of which, not more than 640 acres are firstclass land, provided that in the case of first and second-class lands being included in the same application every acre of first-clflES land shall, for the purpose of computing the total area applied for, be deemed equivalent ] to three acres of second-class land. The effect is that application for second-class land mav be made up to 2000 acres, and if an applicant wants 640 acres of first-class land be can have 800 acres of land in adition if he chooses. Practically the limit of first-class land will be 2000 acres and of first-class 640 acres. The next important alteration relates to transfers which cannot be made before 12 months' residence, and then only with the permission of the Board and the Minister, except in cases of accident. This is the clause Mr Duncan referred to when he told the House the other day that the profits of the speculative selectors who draw good ballots will be things of the past. Tnefe will be no more little rises of £4OO cash, for there will be no transfers. Thirdly applicants for unsurveyed land will have to be advertised at least three times in some newspapers. Then lands leased from year to year may be leased for other than jjrazing purposes. Kauri gum lands are added to the list of mineral lands withdrawn from sale. The "thirds" and "fourths" of local bodies are not to be affected by rebates under the Act of 1900, and the amounts of these payments are limited to "thirds" or "fourth?' of 15 years' rent, and when the local authority neglects to submit proposals for the use of the money that body forfeits its right to the same,' and the same* result follows if the Board fails to approve of the proposals made; and the clause applies to all "thirds" and "fourths" unexpended at the passing of the measure. Lease or license under part 3 or part 4 of the principal Act does not authorise the sale of timber unless felled in the ordinary course of felling and cultivation ; but if the holders wish to sell timber not felled'they may get permission from the Board, which can make any conditions it pleases, the proceeds to be paid to the receiver of land revenue and applied to the payment of rents and arrears and permanent improvements. If all the improvement conditions are fulfilled the lessee can sell any timber remaining as he pleases, and all moneys in the hands of the receiver of land revenue must be paid over to him. These provisions apply to existing as well as future leases and licenses. With regard to the improvement conditions required before the grant of the freehold, the time may be extended by five years, and the existing conditional freeholds are included; but if at the expiry of the time the conditions are not fulfilled the land is forfeited and becomes again available for selection. In the matter of transfers after death, the provision of the principal Act giving power to executors and administrators of licensees under occupation with right of purchase to deal with them as the original holders is extended to the executors of lessees of 999 years and all others. At present the transfers are made in the latter cases by the Land Boards, which make a practice of asking those concerned to nominate, the common law right of the representatives of leaseholders being recognised. The amendment by placing all on the same footing only provides a different and perhaps shorter road for the heirs of leaseholders. The question was raised by a Wairarapa branch of the Fanners Union, which once got it into its head that the 999 years lease lapsed with the life of the holder. There can be no misunderstanding by the most ignorant on this point after this amendment becomes law. The Board is also siven a discretion of transfering holdings to the widow of a licensee or the widow and children together. A long desired reform is the extension of power to the Boards of adding from neighboring lands to the holdings of small settlers whose areas are not large enough for their support, and this, of course, without competition. Special inducements are offered for district farms, vineyards, and orcliards, the latter including land uiukr the Land for Settlements Acts. Land may be granted for dairy sites up to five acres at not less than £1 per acre. Lastly there is a provision for the revaluation of the PomaKika and Beaumont estates.