The Volunteer Land Claims.

Otago Witness, Issue 1582, 18 March 1882, Page 23

The Volunteer Land Claims.

Touching the sitting Land Claims Commission the New Zealand Times remarks :— We may state, for the information of those concerned, that in 1865 ' The Volunteer Land Act,, 1865,' was passed, empowering Superintendents,, with consent of Provincial Council, to grant scrip not exceeding £30 to every efficient Volunteer after five years' service, and an additional £5 for every six months' actual service against the enemy. This Act was adopted in the Provinces of the North Island as follows :—Wellington, in 1867 J Taranaki, in 1872 j Hawke's Bay, in 1868 (for two years only) ; and m Anckland in 1869. By ' The Volunteer Land Act Amendment Act, 1867,' Volunteers enrolled prior to Ist January, 1866, were deemed to be ' efficient.' By c The Volunteer Land Act, 1865, Amendment Act, 1873,' Provincial Councils were empowered to repeal any laws they had passed under the Act of 1865— not to affect Volunteers who had completed one or more years' service ; all claims to be made within 12 months of the passing of the Act. This was acted upon by the Province of Wellington in 1869 by ' The Act to Amend the Volunteer Free Grants Act, 1867,' but the privilege was afterwards extended to men who enrolled before 30th September, 1872. 'The Waste Lands Administration Act, 1876,' repealed all Acts granting scrip, except as concerned Volunteers who had completed three years' service ; claims to be barred unless made within 12 months in the case of those already entitled, or of six months in the case of those who might hereafter become entitled. By SThe V&lunteers and Others Lands Act, 1877, 1 Volunteers enrolled in Wellington .between the 2nd April, 1869, and 30th September, 1873, became entitled to scrip; and it further extended the time allowed lor making' claims by the Act of 1876 to 30th April, 1878. The ' The Crown Lands Sale Act, 1877,' extended the time for exercising scrip to' 30th' April, teer.' We may add that, as regards Otago. the Provincial Council took no action under, " The Volunteer Land Act, 1865, Amendment Act, 1873," to repeal any laws previously passed by them granting scrip, nor were such, laws repealed until the passing of " The Waste Lands Administration Act, 1876," by the General Government. ' • '