A QUESTION OF IMPROVEMENTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1949, 2 July 1891, Page 11

A QUESTION OF IMPROVEMENTS.

An opinion from tbe Crown Prosecutor (Mr H. Gully) Ab to the improvements required to be effected before selectors, who do not reside on their selections, can obtain their titles, was read at the last meeting of the Wellington Land Board, and the board resolved to issue regulations for the guidance of Crown lands rangers for inspecting holdings in accordance therewith. The opinion was as follows :— " As to the meaning of section 21 of ' The Land Aot Amendment Act 1887/ it is, in my opinion, dear beyond doubt th%t a selector, in order to entitle himself to a grant (without personal residence), must both (1) cultivate and (2) permanently improve his land to twice the amount actually required by section 114. Under section 114, subsection 7, one-fifth of the land if rural is to be cultivated within four years, and under -subsection 8 substantial improvements, &c, to the value of £1 per acre are to be put on the land within six yeara. Similarly under section 149 the holder of % perpetual lease is bound both to cultivate and improve to a like extent, and the application of section 21 is extended to this tenure also. Under both systems, therefore, a licensee is bound to comply with each of these conditions, and if personal residence is dispensed with he must comply with th&n to double the extent originally prescribed. Donble compliance becomes a condition of bis 'license, and it is only upon the performance, of this condition tbat he can insist upon his grant tinder section 16 of tbe amendment aot of 1887. The answer accordingly to the first question is that the nonresident selector must, under section 21, from time to time cultivate two-fifths of his land, and spend in addition £2 per acre in substantial improvements."