LAND RESOLUTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1024, 15 July 1871, Page 8

LAND RESOLUTIONS.

Mr BATHGATE, in introducing Land Resolutions recently laid on the table, said he did not disguise from himself the important bearing which they would have upon the future position of this province, and he should shrink from the onerous duty of bringing them forward were he not aware that the land question had been so fully ventilated during previous discussions as to render his task comparatively easy. It had been admitted on all sides that they had arrived at a serious crisis in the history of the province, and there was no doubt that it would depend upon the action which might now be taken whether the future position of the province was one of prosperity or of unmitigated ruin and destruction. He could say, with the utmost candour, that in bringing these resolutions forward there was no desire to support or carry through its various stages any measure which was calculated to be in the slightest degree prejudicial to the interests of a class which he admitted to be one of the very greatest importance in Otago ; he referred to the pastoral lessees. His immediate self-interest would prevent him following such a course. He looked upon the resolutions about to be proposed as resolutions of a truly conservative nature, inasmuch as they had a tendency not to injure any class, but to conserve the best and truest interests of every class in the community. There were reasons why they should endeavour to remedy the defects of the present law, and bring about a better state of thingß than existed at the present time. A policy had been originated by tho General Government, having for its object the borrowing and expenditure of a large sum of money in this colony on reproductive works, and the Dringing to our shores of a population which should settle upon the waste lands of the Crown. Of course, it was evident that unless those two ideas Could be worked out together, unless along with reproductive works we could secure a settled population which, by their energy, forbearance, perseverance, skill, and industry, would help us to bear the enormous burdens Which would be inflicted upon us, the moneys when borrowed and expended, instead of being conducive to our prosperity, would probably lead to our ultimate ruin. It was with a view, however, of endeavouring to avert auch a result that these resolutions had been introduced. There was no desire to injure any class ; on the contrary, the interests of all classes had been carefully considered. Mr Bathgate then referred to some of the provisions cf the Bill. Respecting several of the clauses in the first part of the Bill he did not anticipate that there would be any difference of opinion. It was proposed to abolish the present unconstitutional system of Hundreds being reported upon by irresponsible men. The clauses awarding compensation would be found fully set out. In clauses from Bto 29 inclusive, would be found resolutions regulating the alienation of lands by lease and license. He referred to the provisions made for settlement. Clause 30 to 33 regulated water-races and roads, and those clauses were in a great measure transcripts of existing regulations, with such amendments as were suggested by experience for the development of the Gold fields. Clauses 34 to 46 had reference to compensation, &c. ; and clauses from 82 to 85 provided for the introduction of changes necessary to assimilate the land law of Southland with that of Otago. After referring to various other provisions of the Bill, Mr Bathgate moved the following, the third resolution :—: — " The several Acts and parts of Acts specified in the Schedule hereto are hereby repealed to the extent in the said Schedule mentioned." After some remarks from Messrs Cargill and Barton, Mr BATHGATE moved Resolution IV, as follows :—: — " Immediately on the payment of the purchase money for unsurveyed land to the receiver of land revenue the purchaser shall receive a license to occupy in the form set forth in the first Schedule of the Bill and as soon thereafter as conveniently may be the land shall be laid off by a Government surveyor as nearly in accordance with the description given by the purchaser in hia application as the regulations will admit: The expense of the

urvey and of connecting such survey Bhall be borne by the purchaser who shall at the time of purchase deposit the amount of the estimated cost of such survey with the receiver of land revenue and such suivey shall be made as soon as practicable by order of the chief surveyor. Provided always that should any section when surveyed prove to differ in any respect from that intended by the purchaser the Government will not be responsible for any loss or inconvenience which, the purchaser may experience nor will the purchase money be returned. Provided also that if the surveyor shall find that the whole extent of land in the selected locality falls short of the quantity paid for by the purchaser the receiver of land revenue shall repay so much of the purchase money and survey deposit as exceeds the price of the land to be granted and the cost of its survey and the license to occupy shall in any such case be amended in accordance with the report of the surveyor and the Crown grant shall be made out in accordance therewith and such license shall be returned to the Commissioner of Crown lands when the Crown grant shall be issued." THE Hon. Dr MENZIES said, before the resolution was passed he wished to make a few remarks on the general question. The main object of the resolutions they had under consideration was to repeal certain Acts which had acted injuriously for the last two years upon the settlement of the country. At the time the Hundreds Regulation Ants of 1860 and 1870 were passed he had opposed them, feeling convinced that they would unquestionably obstruct settlement. He thought the result had abundantly fulfilled his anticipations of them. He did not hold with the extreme views he had heard expressed by some honourable members of the Council, yet he was satisfied that the Acts in question would deter settlement and lessen the territorial revenue. The resolutions now before them would operate most judiciously in the opposite direction. The 35th clause would give tbe Governor power at any time to proclaim a Hundred when the provincial authorities think fit to recommend that a fresh Hundred should be proclaimed. It provided that there should be abundant land for those who desired to settle upon it. After commenting very favourably upon numerous other clauses of the Bill before the Council, the honourable member said that the operation of the Aots passed last session of the Assembly, authorising the borrowing of large sums j of money, would place the colony in auch a condition that they would be forced to nettle a large number of people on their lands in order to bear the increased burdens to be laid on them. — (Hear, hear.) In order to secure that the immigranta > they might introduce should become per- ] manent settlers, the land laws, not of I Otago only, but of the rtst of New Zealand, must be made no liberal that they would offer larjje attractions for settlement. He therefore held that some opecial clauses should be introduced into the Bill before them, giving additional privileges to those persons who brought their families into the province, and who thus gave a guarantee of their desire to settle permanently. After Borne further discussion, clause IV. was passed. The following clauses were passed without comment : — "V. It shall be lawful to the Board if in their discretion they shall think fit so to do to sell by private contract any parcel of land to any person who shall have occupied and made valuable improvemena thereon before the said land shall have been open for sale Provided that the purchase price of such land Bhall not be at a lower rate than that obtained for the adjoining lands or at which unimproved land corresponding in value may be Bold. Provided further that should the Board think fit they may expose for sale by auction any such land occupied and improved as aforesaid at the upset price which shall include the value of the improvements on the said lands as ascertained by the Board in such manner as the Board shall think equitable and in the event of the person occupying and who shall have improved such land not becoming the purchaser thereof at the sale by auction he shall be entitled to receive out of the purchase price when paid the sum assigned by the Board as the value of bis improvements. " VI. The following addition Bhall be made to sub-section number four section fifty-two of the ' Otago Waste Land Act 1866' and read as if incorporated with and part of the same to wit— (7). A covenant with the lessee that a valuation of all machinery buildings works and other improvements necessary for the proper and efficient mining and work-: ing of the metala or minerals shall be made at the termination of the lease the amount of which valuation shall be chargeable against and payable by the incoming tenant and if there be no incoming tenant fle change, shall be jnada against or iia- 1

bility incurred by the lessor for the amount of such valuation. " VII. I- shall be lawful for the Board if they Bhall think fit so to do to sanction any transfer of a lease of mineral lands and for every such transfer sanctioned a fee of one pound shall be paid by the transferee when the sanction to the transfer shall be granted." Mr REID said that as it was evident honourable members were not inclined to discuss the matter before them, he would move the adjournment of the debate. The debate was accordingly adjourned.