LAND LEGISLATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 8

LAND LEGISLATION IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

In comparing the land laws of the several colonies some months ago we pointed out that New South Wales had been more wasteful of her territory than any of her neighbours and had built up a series of large estates which before many generations have passed will assuredly become a serious evil. What was then only a superficial deduction from the official statistics has lately been elaborated in Sydney in a manner which we can well conceive has arrested general attention. AMr Reginald Black, formerly inspector of pastoral property for the Bank of New South Wales, who declares himself to have no interest in any land, or bank, or financial com-H pariy, has read a paper before the Economic Association of New South Wales, containing statements so startling as to be worthy of attention even at this distance^ For the picture he draws is limned in a strictly scientific mood without attempt at sensation, and with chapter and verse given for every statement that is made. After briefly reviewing the history of the early land legislation of the colony, Mr Black opens out with " the memorable Act of 1861 " embodying the principle of free selection before survey, coupled with conditions of residence and improvements. He gives Sir John Robertson and those connected with him every credit for honesty of purpose, admitting that up till then the lands were practically locked up in the hands of the squatters, and showing that especially in the first few years after the Act was passed a certain amount of genuine settlement was actually effected under this Act in the coast districts and also along the railway lines near the large inland towns. But the power given to any selector to pick out the eyes of any squatter's run not only created a class of blackmailers and speculative selectors — that is, men who selected merely to sell again at a profit, — but forced the j squatter to buy the eyes of his run in self-defence, either legally by direct purchase from the Crown and buying out speculative selectors, or illegally by means of dummyism. The general effect may be judged from an official report drawn up in 1882, which states that out of over 70,000 selections taken up in the 20 years during which the Act had been in force, not more than 17,000 were occupied by genuiife settlers. This and other kindred facts as to the operation of Sir John Robertson's Act so startled the colony that it was amended in 1884 by dividing the colony into three divisions — Eastern (or coastal), Central, and Western (or outer). In the two latter, half the pastoral land was reserved from selection, and definite tenure given of the other half — 10 years in the Central and 25 in the Western division. This, though not ,very effective, was a step in the right direction, but unfortunately, with the— best intentions, clauses were added giving every conditional purchaser of 640^ acres a right to a conditional lease of 1920 acres at a nominal rate, with a right to ultimate purchase, and he was also allowed to add to his conditional purchase until he had the full amount of area available. These provisions have been fertile of further evil, so that in 1892 the Government statistics show that 23 millions of acres of land have been absolutely alienated in New South Wales, 20 millions conditionally sold, and 14 millions leased with the right of purchase, these, of course, since the 1884 Act came into operation. Yet the bona fide settlers at date have dwindled in number to 16,000, and the agricultural produce of the colony is worth less than it was 10 years ago, large quantities of Wheat, hay, chaff, and oats being still imported. Another feature of the case is that over 95,000 transfers of land, aggregating an area of over 21,000,000 acres, have been registered during the last 10 years, most of them going to swell estates already swollen far beyond the capacity of the owners to work them. The comparative rate of selection and transference is pointedly brought out by the figures for the last recorded year (1892), Avhen no less than 14,000 selections, representing an area of over 2,000,000 acres, were transferred, against 2134 conditional purchases, representing 425,000 acres. Mr Black adds that the average profit made by the selector on these transfers is from 10s to 15s an acre — giving an estimate of over .£10,000,000 sterling wHich has gone into the pockets of the land jobber during the last 10 years. It is not astonishing that Mr Black's paper has created a profound sensation in New South Wales, and is thought likely to have a considerable influence upon the approaching • general election. But what we shall watch with interest

is the proposals made to remedy these gigantic evils, or at least to prevent ! their continuance. Part of Mr Black's paper is given up to arguing that it is not worth while to disturb and worry the pastoral lessee, who has now no encouragement to make improvements for the benefit of the speculative selector, and that production will be increased and employment provided by giving the pastoral lessee's energies full scope and keeping a tight hand upon alienation. Classification of the land is obviously the first necessity of the situation, and then provisions increasing tho difficulty of transferring selections and preventing a man who has selocted once from selecting again. But it is very doubtful whether any Government will have the courage to resist the plausible cry for unlocking the pastoral lands, which is supported by the whole influence of the host of storekeepers, publicans, and other country residents, who practically live upon the traffic in selections. Probably, as in 1884, some partial and impotent effort will be made to please all classes with the result of producing a new crop of evils, though they can hardly be worse than those that exist. Some day no doubt a reckoning must come for all this waste and corruption. The lands of New South Wales, though immense, are not inexhaustible, and the startling figures given by Mr Black as to the alienation that has taken place are still far from representing the extent of the evil. For it has to be borne in mind that the greater part of the land thus alienated consists of picked spots which practically command the surrounding areas ; and further, that the hands into which these lands have mostly found their way are often not very clean and mostly altogether overloaded. So that in New South Wales the evil of land monopoly presents itself in an aggravated form. Not only have the best lands of the colony gone to form large estates, but the large landholders are for the most part over -encumbered with their acquisitions, and unable to put them to good use. Besides this has to be reckoned the widespread demoralisation which all this land-jobbing must have produced. It is significant that in spite of a comparatively Freetrade policy the increase in the population of New South Wales during the 10 years up to 1891 is given at 303,000 in the towns, against only 66,000 in the country. How the colony bears up against all these adverse influences it is difficult to conceive. Every report tends to show that it is feeling the prevailing depression less than any other part of Australia. But there must come a day of reckoning for all this extravagance and waste, and when it comes we suspect that it will fall heavily upon the holders of large estates, whether they have been righteously or unrighteously purchased.