LAND PURCHASE CONTROL.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1919, Page 5

LAND PURCHASE CONTROL.

IMPORTANT PROVISIONS OF BILL. HOMESTEAD SYSTEM REVIVED. (By Wire.—Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Last Night. The Land Laws Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the House tonight, contains a number of important provisions. It provides for the appointment of a land purchase controller, and of a Dominion Land Purchase Board, consisting of the controller, the UnderSecretary for Lands, the SurveyorGeneral, and a nominated member. This board will undertake and control negotiations for the purchase of land under the Lands for Settlements Act. The Board will be assisted by local land purchase boards, of which ihere may be one or more in each district, consisting of the Commissioner of Crown Lands and three nominated members. These local boards will undertake duties delegated to them by the Dominion Land Purchase Board.

The Rill makes provision for the revival of the homestead system. Land not suitable for settlement under existing tenures, not being first class land, may be set apart and settled vnder a system of occupation license without rent. The license will be for a period of ten years, and may be renewed. The occupier must erect a home and reside on the section within twelve months. The Government may assist the occupier in the development and profitable occupation of the land by making loans, which will bo a charge upoa the license. The license is not to be assigned or transferred, but, at any time after seven years, the board may grant to a licenseholder who has complied with all the conditions, a grant in fee simple of his holding. The Government may borrow a million a year for the purposes of this system, which is_ intended lo appTv particularly to the pumice lands and poor gum lands. The Bill increases from five acres to ten acres the area nf Crown land that may be sold as a site for a dairy factorv. or other special purpose.

The revenues derived from Crown •lands in a special district constituted under the Land Act. 1913, may be paid to the local authority towards the repiiTment of loans for roads and bridses. Severa 1 clauses deal with aggregation.

The right of a lessee of a pastoral run to obtain a renewal is limited by a provision that a man, or a husband and wife, holding two leases shall be allowed to Tenew onlv one lease.

The ri<?lit to pure-hasp the fee simple of the land comprised in any loa=e in perpetuity of settlement land is revived in all cases where the owner of anv such lease has served beyond the seas in nuv of 'His Majesty's forces in the war with Germanv. and may lie exercised at any time within one year. RESUMPTION OF AGGREGATED LAND. There is a modification of the provisions as to the assessment of compensation payable by the Crown for land taken under section C 5 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1013, relating to land acquired by way of aggregation. Where any land 'acquired by way of aggregation ' is taken by the Crown, the right to receive compensation therefore shall lie limited as follows: (a) In-the case of land acquired by way of purchase, the compensation shall not exceed the Government valuation of that land, with an additional amount equal to ten per centum' thereof, and in the case of land acquired otherwise than by purchase, the compensation shall not exceed the sum at which the land was assessed for the purposes of stamp duty. The Government valuation of any land taken by the Crown as aforesaid shall be ike capital value as assessed in the district valuation roll in force under the Valuation of Land Act, lOCS, at the time of its acquisition by the purchase. If the land is not separately valued in the valuation roll the Government valuation of the part so taken shall be such proportion of the capital value of the larger area as the valuer-general determines.