The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1920. SOUTHERN PASTORAL LANDS.

Southland Times, Issue 18934, 22 September 1920, Page 4

The Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1920. SOUTHERN PASTORAL LANDS.

Most people will be able to approve of the recommendations made by the Southern Pastoral Lands Commission, which has reported to the government on the best means of improving the tenures and of increasing the efficiency of the leaseholders. It will lie noticed that it is proposed that the term of the longest tenure provided by the Act should ho extended from twenty-one to

thirty-one years as a means of inducing tenants to improve their holdings. In the same direction is the proposal that where a. run has been subdivided into areas that will not permit of further division, the tenants shall be able to secure the freehold. This privilege is further safeguarded by the restriction tiiat the tenant must have held the lease before he can secure the freehold. This extension of the maximum term under a lease and offer of the right to convert leasehold into freehold should do much in the direction of encouraging the tenant to go in boldly for improvements. It may he argued that when tenants tire allowed to secure the freehold the way to re-

aggregation is open. But it is a notorious fact dial re-aggregatinn to nil intent and purpose flourishes amongst leasehold properties and makes a joke of the oft-expressed fears that the granting of the freehold will introduce and encourage this evil. The first thing we must consider is the best means of working our lands efficient!}’, and if it is clear that the question of the tenures plays an important part in the proper working of the land, (he changes must be made and the checking of land aggregation left to other weapons. The commission seems to have recognised this point, just as it lias noted the fallacy of hanging on thoughtlessly to national endowment lands when it is possible to ensure their better working under different ownership. Naturally, the commission could not go the length of recommending the actual disposal out-of-hand of these lands, but it has made a suggestion that is sane and practical and docs not cut across any policy question involving these national endowments. Here again leaseholders will call up the shade of the land speculator, but that gentleman exists and even operates among the leaseholds! We see no reason for apprehension if this recommendation is adopted by the government. It is obviously to the advantage of the country and of the individual, if he exchanges for national endowment a property, which while representing about the same value, suits the individual’s needs. It must be admitted that under this clause the government’s representatives will have to be watchful, but they are in a position to see that the State is not, made to suffer and there should be no ground for anxiety on

this point. The report urges the use of the ballot in the granting of all leases. This is an interesting proposal. It may deprive the department of a fair sum in rental in each year. The absence of competition will be compensated by the fact that the boards will fix the rentals according to the capabilities of the property and will not leave this figure to be fixed by competition influenced by a momentary improvement or depression in the market. The commission is keen to insist on the value of the tenant who occupies his run, and makes an important recommendation in regard to the examination of applicants, a proposal that should receive endorsement right through the country. As we said before, the commission set out with the object of devising improvements to ensure that better results would be obtained from the pastoral runs. The commission has used the longer term and the incentive of the right to convert the lease hold into the freehold as its principal weapons but its other recommendations will repay earnest consideration.