THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED DAILY—MORNING. NELSON, MONDAY, JULY 22, 1907. THE LAND BILL.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 11994, 22 July 1907, Page 2

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED DAILY— MO RNING. NELSON, MONDAY, JULY 22, 1907. THE LAND BILL.

In the f.ahd Bill that was brought down on Friday last, the Government have departed from the position previously taken yip, and have laid themselves open to the charge of trying to please the advocates of the Ereehold whom formerly thej opposed. It is prop j .1 under this latest Bill to substitute renewable leases, for a term of sixty-six years with right of perpetual renewal but subject to reassessment of rent at the expiration, of each term, for the lease in pe.petuity, and that holders of leases in perpetuity, save those having leases of land that has been acquired for closer settlement under the Lands for Settlement Adt, shall have the right to purchase the freehold of their holdings on payment of the capital value of the laud at the time of purchasing; The latter pro vision does hot -go so far as many of those who have advocated that they should be given the right to purchase the freehol i have desired, for the wish of these has been to secure the freehold on payment ci the amount at Which land was valued at the time it was taken up. As a consequence it may be concluded that the proposal will not satisfy all. At the same tinte, ihe creation of a very dangerous precedent is seriously contemplated, for it is proposed to depart from the original contract entered into between the owners of the fee simple, in this Caie the Crown, and the leaseholders. If that is held to be legitimate in this case, where may it not be so held? Why, for instance, should not those holding leases of p'.blic. reserves, or, indeed, those holding leases from private owners be enabled to purchase the freehold? And yet the Gbveriiment propose that the holders of leases of land that has been reacquired under tbe Lands for Settlement, Act shall not to have the right of acquiring the f reeholdrr-at all events, at present, though the suggestion to provide a sinking fund to extinguish the debt incurred in the purchase of tbe estates for closer settlement may be intended as paving the way to a concession in that direction. However, that may be, the reservation of nine millions of acres as a national endowment appears to be inconsistent with the proposal to allow existing holders of leases in perpetuity Id acquire the f rvChwlJ. "Wnen the system of leases in perpetuity was adopted, it was accepted more by way of compromise than as a satisfactory solution of the problem of .securing to the State the unearned increment in land, but the difficulties in tbo way of providing for an equitable system of revaluations on renewals of leases, and at the same time encouraging settlement, appeared- insuperable. The lease in perpetuity had very distinct advantages, chief among which was that it has en-^ abled many a mftn with small capital to go on the land and use what capital he possessed in lmproviug and stocking his holding. At the same time the term of lease was so long that it was practically as good as a freehold. Having regard to the fact that the freehold of by far the greater part of the readily accessible lands of the colony has already been parted with, or provision made whereby it may be acquired, it may bo contended that it would be inequitable to so bind future settlers that they must give up to the State any unearned increment, seeing that those who have secured the pick of the land are not so bound. The great thiog we have to secure is settlement. It is a duty to encourage the profitable occupation of the soil, and thereby increase the avenues by which men may live in comfort and happiness, and it would be fatal to the best interests of the colony were fads and theories "permitted to block the way of settlemeat. It has been s^id by practi-,..! men that a sixty- six years' lease of bush country in the back blocks witb right of renewal at revaluation is not attractive, and if that is so, certainly tbe proposed thirty-three years lease in reßpect of lands for settlements lands will be far less attractive, because there is sure to be uneasiness on the part of the tenant as to the rental he may have to pay on his lease being renewed. It is highly desirable to place an effective check upon the aggregation of great estates, for the best interests of the colony require many shoulders to bear the burdens of State, but. that being secured, the main consideration is the settlement of the^land.