THE NEW LAND POLICY OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 16

THE NEW LAND POLICY OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

The liberality of the New South Wales land pc-lioy is in striking contrast to that of this Dominion, where settlement is only obtained after engaging to pay not only the full interest on the value of the land and a sinking fund as well, but also mteresl on the cost of survey and subdivision. Mr Beeby,. the new Minister of Lands, hai announced that in future all Crown land* would: be leased in perpetuity to ths settlers. The annual payment i 6 to be 2-J per cent, on the capital value, the rent to be fixed for all time on that has:--*. How ever, no rent .will be charged for the first fivo years, provided that per cent, on tho capital value- is expended on improvements during that term. Tho Minister claims for this proposal that it will enable settlers to make the best use of their capital, and place thorn in a position to improve their lands wid make them

profitable -without anything, in the shape of concessions from the Government. . The history of settlement in New: South Wales indicates. (says a contributor to the Australasian) that the actual conditions under which the country has; been more closely settled are unknown to the politician who has not had experience as a selector on new country. The fact is that a large proportion of our most successful farmers began on their selection with little or no means. They managed to carry on until it was possible to borrow some money on some kind of title. The money so raised has in thousands of instances represented the actual capital laid out in improvements. As might be expected, the Government proposes to provide for settlers in. similar circumstances obtaining money from a State bank. This, however, is far from being the same thing, and just that difference, and the deeply-rooted desire to actually own their own homes, is sufficient to make the new policy unpalatable to settlers.