LAND LAW AMENDMENT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16869, 16 October 1920, Page 6

LAND LAW AMENDMENT.

BILL INTRODUCED*. .PREFERENCE IN BALLOTS. BY TBLEOEtPH.—OWN COEMBPONDEHT. WELLINGTON, Oct. 16. The Land Laws Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor-General’s message in the House just prior to the adjournment. The Bill, besides a number or machinery amendments, further provides that at every ballot under the Land Act tile following classes of applicants shall have equal preference: landless applicants with children dependent on them, landless applicants who have been twice unsuccessful in ballots in the previous two years, members of the N.Z.E.F., applicants who served in the war beyond New Zealand, but were residents of New Zealand immediately prior to the war. In the case of other applicants, those who are landless shall have preference. Small areas of land, not suitable for separate holdings or of inferior agricultural quality, may be disposed of by auction. The Minister explained that-there was a provision to deal with certain national endowment lands, so that the homestead clauses of last year’s Act might be brought into operation. Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central): Are they to be sold? Tire Minister said that they were to he taken over by the Crown and the money was to ho invested in a special fund. The Crown woul4 then have the right to grant the freehold after the lands had been occupied for five or seven years and improved. Mr. Massey; It only applies to 10,000 a °lhe clauses in this connection provide that no land shall hereafter became national endowment land by the operation of section 258 of the Land Act of 1903, providing that land held under certain leases shall on the termination of the lease become national endowment land. The Governor-General may by proclamation declare that: (a) Any unoccupied national endowment land not exceeding in the aggregate 10,000 acres, or (b) any national endowment land disposed of under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, 1916, or (c) any national endowment land disposed of under the Land Act, 1908, and held under lease or license by a person competent to acquire land under the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, shall cease to bo national endowment land. The Bill was read a first time and referred to the Lands Committee.