LIMITING RENEWAL.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13843, 15 October 1913, Page 6

LIMITING RENEWAL.

Mr Lee moved a proviso that the pastoral run tenant shall have only one right 'of renewal, thus limiting Jus term to 42 years. Replying to Mr McDonald the Prime Minister said he accepted the principle of the amendment. Mr Mac Donald contended that theproviso simply meant making the ten-" uro useless. Every inducement should be given to settlers to take up this class of land. What was the use of the proviso to secure this result? The Prime Minister: I don't think it is- much use, because most of the runs will be sub-divided before the end of the second term. Mr Anderson declared that a good tenure was wanted for these runs, co that a population could be induced to eettl© on these mountain lands, and a man's sons succeed him. What was to bo gained by putting out A to put in B ? The reason for the deterioration of these runs had been the poor terms on which they were held. Mr Smith (Waitaki) said that a man who had bean on a run lor years, knowing his land and his flock, would bo in » position to pay a higher xent than anyone else. \ The auctioneering of land ought to be abolished, because men with long purses had their own way, as smaller men, knowing that they could not \competo, stayed away from ths? auction\ ' , Mr Laurensori- suggested that the committee should legislate for all the people, not the runholders. It was the State's duty to get the best rent possible. \ "It is to the State's advantage to keep a good tenantry said Mr Coates, who advocated arbitration as a means of fixing the rent. The Prime Minister repeated that it did not matter if the rentals went on every 21 years, or were limited, %so long* as the Governor-ln-Council had power to sub-divide. Compensation for improvements was to he given in a way never prevknisly equalled.