THE LAND BILL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11056, 23 August 1907, Page 6

THE LAND BILL.

AMENDMENTS BY LAND * COMMITTEE. I (From our Parliamentary Reporter;) WELLINGTON, this day. The Land 7 Bill, as amended by the Lands Committee, /was presented to the House this/afternoon, lhe Bill has been altered tb a -considerable extent by Committee/but/generally speaking the amend; ments are nor. of a> drastic character." Leaseholders on the Committee do not consider tliat any concessions of importance have been made m regard to ordinary Crown lands. A modification has been made enabling holders of renewable leases, with the consent of the tioard, to remove minerals other than gold, silver, and coal from their holding on payment' of royalties. The modification of the residence condition m special cases is made to apply to Eiastoral land as well as to other rural ands. The renewable lease no longer applies to land leased under modified residence conditions," and the Government is left free to make regulations specifying leases for this lan '. An important new clause provides that the holder of a renewable' lease, when he desires to make improvements, shall be entitled on application to the Commissioner, to have particulars of the improvement placed on the permanent lecords. This record will be used m jssessmg compensation. Town lands may be,leased for 21 years instead of for 14 year!, i Provision is made for special flax leases, the area not to exceed 2000 acres. ! The limit of area to be acquired by applicants for Orown land is extended from 2000 to 5000 acres. A new clause is added providing machinery for the encouragement of * tue wood-pulp industry. The Ciown is empowered to exchange Crown land for private land where expedient, and to pay or receive any sum by way of equality of excliange. . A final clause of which the Hon. Mr T. Y. Duncan has already given notice, empowering, boards to set apart areas of rural land for selection and occupation with payment, but subject to conditions as to cultivation and residence, is embodied m the Bill. Amendments m regard to land for settlement Lands are m the direction of ensuring the smoother working of the system. The 33 years' lease, with perpetual right of renewal, remains unaltered. A new clause is added providing that when the Crown is acquiring land it may agree with the seller that he shall receive a lease or license for an area not exceeding the prescribed maximum, as part payment for his land. The clause providing for lease pf settlement lands by public tender (instead of ballot) is struck out, and m substitution there is a new clause to the effect that before any land acquired under the Act is opened for public selection the Board may grant a renewable lease without competition to any person who has been employed on the land by the late owner, for at least five years. The old system of ballot therefore remains m force. Land may still be taken compulsorily at the owner's valuation plus a percentage. At the end of the Bill special new clauses have^ been added providing for a renewal of grazing leases on Cheviot estate, conditionally on the land not being required for closer sub-division. The rent is to be assessed on the present capital value, less the value of the tenants' improvements.