THE QUEENSLAND LAND BILL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7005, 29 July 1884, Page 3

THE QUEENSLAND LAND BILL.

The new Land Bill which has been introduced into the Queensland Assembly provides that town and suburban land shall be sold by auction as at present, but suburban lots are in no case to exceed 80 acres. Country lands are to be divided into agricultural and grazing areas; selection in agricultural areas not to exceed 960 acres, and in grazing areas 20,000 acres. The rent of the former to be not less than 3d, and for the latter not less than l£d per acre. Within two years the selector must enclose his land with a substantial fence. When this condition has been fulfilled, the lease is to issue for 50 years in the case of agricultural 'selection, and 30 years for grazing selection; the rent to be raised after the first 10 years, according to valuation, at periods of five years; the lease to be transferable, but no person to hold two leases in the same district. No provision is made for the acquisition of the freehold of grazing selections ; but the holder of an agricultural area properly and continuously for 10 years may purchase it outright. Lands overgrown by brigalow, gidya, mallee, wattle, &c. may be leased in areas not exceeding 10,000 acres for a term of 30 years under special conditions. The bill also provides for the issue of occupation licenses of 12 months' currency for country not otherwise disposed of. In the case of existing pastoral leases whicb holders may wish to bring under the operation of the Act, runs are to be divided into two parts, one part (varying from one-fourth to one-half) to be resumed and thrown open to selection, but the lessee to retain his grazing right over it until otherwise disposed of; for the unresumed part the lessee is to have a fixed lease for a term of 10 years in settled, and 15 years in unsettled districts: the rent for the first five years to be 403 per square mile .in settled, and 20s to 90s in unsettled districts: for a second term of five years the rent to be not less than 60s per square mile in settled districts, and not less than 403 and 608 for second and third terms in unsettled dis-' tricts; no lessee to surrender his present lease unle3s willing to do so. The administration of the new Act is to be removed from the control of the Minister of Lands and placed in the hands of a board of two members, who will be the sole and final arbitrators in almost all matters connected with the administration of the Act. The bill consists of 128 clauses.