THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED DAILY NELSON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1883. THE NEW LAND BILL.

Colonist, Volume XXVI, Issue 3699, 1 September 1883, Page 3

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED DAILY NELSON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1883. THE NEW LAND BILL.

Whateteb opinion may be entertained as to the policy of Mr Rolleston's proposals with respect to the lands of the Colony, it is only those who regard him with personal dislike that question his untiring zeal and the sincerity of his convictioDs. No doubt an earnest man may, if he adopts erroneous theories, do an enormous amount of mischief, more indeed that the mere shifty politician eager for votes and careless of principles. But for all that it is something in this as;e of veneer, this gilded age, to have in charge of the department on which far more than any other the future of the country depends, one who is gifted with exceptional experience and capacity to devise, and also with sufficient firmness to pei«evere ia what he believes to be right. So much is Mr Bolleston's just due. At the same time, be cannot be credited with parliamentary tact and managementjto an equal extent with many less reliable men. And of this defect his dealing with the Land Bill now before: the House is an unpleasant illustration. None who takenj an interest in promoting settlement—and what, true colonist does not— can have forgotten that on the eve of the prorogation last year, the Legislative Council struck a fatal blow at the perpetual leasing system, contained in a Bill then before them, by inserting a clause permitting purchase after six years. Had the matter been one involving a decision between the comparative merits of freehold or leasehold tenure, probably a majority of .the people, certainly, by far the greater part of those having a practical knowledge of country life, would have commended their action, it was not bo. It was the introduce ■-■•"•"'. . ■■'- •■n , , •.'■•• .--.-.-r. ■■■',:

tion of an element which must inevitably vitiate an experiment of the first importance. Clearly, every tenant who fiodi he has been fortunate in bis choice of a farm, will at the earliest available period Bhut out the possibility of having his rent raised at the end of his original term, by acquiring the freehold, even if he has to borrow \to do so. On tbe other hand, where from any cause, such aa the quality of the soil, expectations are not realised, there will be no wish for the renewal of the lease, and in some cases forfeiture during its currency will come about from non-compliance with the conditions. Then perpetual leasing will be unhesitatingly condemned, not so much on account of its inherent and undeniable defects aa because the provision that fosters the withdrawal of every piece of good land from its operation, prevents a fair comparison being made. Mr Kollestou saw the evil consequences of the so-called amendment. He fought against it ; with all his energy. And when, seeing that the already lengthy session could not be further prolonged, be yielded with mingled grief and wrath rather than sacrifice tbe whole of bis favorite measure, it was wit'i tbe avowed determination to make another effort this session, and then to fight it out to the last extremity. So far as the insertion of a clause in the ne<v Bill he has carried out his) intention. Unfortunately his want of tactical skill has led him into a position where, unless the Council relent, they may with impunity treat him to a aecoud rebuff. Instead of introducing and pushing forward his new Bill at the earliest possible period, Parliament had been in session nearly five weeks before he moved the second reading. It has only now bern returned from the Waste Lands Committee. There is now a certainty that the Government will prorogue at an early date. Thus a temptation is offered to the Council to repeat tbeir performance of last year, and if they do and are obstinate, the chance of keeping members together is so small that Mr Eolleston may by his unaccountable procrastination have thrown away his chance again. Though the particular clause that is to repeal the right of purchase is by far the most important in the new Bill, it contains other provisions of great, if inferior, importance. Without entering into a minute examination of each clause, the leading change proposed may be made intelligible. This is: to set aside pastoral land for leasing in areas not exceeding five thousand acres, the objects being to break up in time all, or at any rate most of the large runs still unsold, to afford men of small means an opening to prevent tbe formation of large estates, and to preserve for the Colony a large, and it is expected an increasing income in perpetuity, instead of disposing of the freehold at once, spending the money as fast as possible to Batisfy present demands, and leaving the next generation without a landed estate. In abort, as the leasing proposals of last year were designed to supersede sales on deferred payment in respect of land fit for cultivation, bo the present aim at putting an end to transactions of a kindred nature where land fib for nothing save grazing is concerned. No person can bring up the total quantity of land he owns or holds under the Crown to more than 5640 acres, nor can he have more than one of these new leases. As a safeguard against the ill effects of wanconly destroying forests, the lessee is not to cut or remove any timber or bush on the land, except what he may need for fencing and firewood. Leases are to be competed for by tender at an upset rent of two and a half per cent "on the capital value of the land "as fixed by the Waste Lands Board of the district, such value not to be lest than a pound an acre in a district where the minimum price for cash is not less than that amount, and elsewhere not less than the price " for which similar lands may be sold for cash." The meaning of these complicated provisions is, that in Canterbury, where the price of land is two pounds an acrs, there it a large extent not worth more than sixpence an acie to rent. In Nelson the minimum Belling price being ten ibillings an acre, the upset rent might, if these clauses become law, be as low as threepence. Leases are to be for not less than seven nor more than twenty-one years, and as the Bill stands there is no right of renewal. Tbe re-letting is to be by tender, but the incoming lessee is to pay the outgoing for his •'substantial improvements of a permanent character," these being defined with the same liberality as was finally obtained in the Act of last year. Each lessee is to put on the land permanent improve* tnents equal in value to a year's rent in the first year, to another year's rent within two years, and afterwards within four years " to the amount of other two years' rent." As was shown by Mr Kolleston, this is asking no more than a prudent man would spend voluntarily to ensure success in bis undertaking. This is a broad outline of a scheme to open the way to and to attract men of moderate means to occupy purely pastoral country, that is, except so much agricultural land as is needed for a homestead. Of course this proposal, like the system introduced last year, will diminish the receipts from land sales, but both .are intended to secure the Colony a permanent revenue. Mr Holleston declares emphatically against further sales of pastoral lands, and it will be with no small interest that the progress of this measure will bo witched

in the respective branches of our legislature.