The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1902.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 11701, 10 March 1902, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, MARCH 10, 1902.

■An article in the Wellington " Sun," on Thursday last, commenced with the following sentence: —"It is the truth that the Honourable W. Rolleston, when Minister of Lands, made an effort to introduce into the South Island' the principle of the perpetual lease,; and his conduct in that regard was in every way honourable to him. Let fair justice be done. Mr Rolleston failed—why? Because he was not supported by his party. Mr Rolleston's action was much too progressive and liberal for his Conservative supporters, and they would have none of it." But as a fact Mr Rolleston's great Land Bill of 1882 passed the House of Representatives without any very material amendment, and the section containing provisions for perpetual leases was retained. The present Premier, who was then a private member of the Opposition, voted against the Bill, which was unquestionably the most liberal land law that up. to that time had been introduced in any of the Australasian-Parliaments. It is our . deliberate opinion that, in some important particulars, subsequent land legislation in New Zealand has been retrogressive rather than progressive, and has imposed on small settlers a number of harassing conditions which might very well have been dispensed with. But to return to Mr Rolleston's Bill. It was in the Legislative Council that the perpetual lease provision was | deprived of h great part of its vitality. In the Bill as it passed the House the perpetual leases were made inalienable, but the Council the following provisions:—"Should the lessee within the period of six years have complied with the conditions of improvements, as set forth in Sections 34 to 37 inclusive, then he shall be entitled to acquire the feesimple of the land comprised* in his lease, at a price to be fixed at the time when the lease is granted, which shall not be less than the capital value on which he has paid rent at 5 per cent.: Provided that the lessee must take advantage of such purchasing right within eleven years of the commencement of his lease." So disgusted was Mr Rolleston at this action of the Council, and so strong was his "feeling in favour of a genuine perpetual leasing system when applied to a portion of the public estate, that he at liTst contemplated dropping the Bill altogether. However, as it contained a multitude of-other valuable provisions, he adopted the wiser course of taking as much as he could get. The House appointed managers to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the Council, but after conferences the Council persisted in the purchasing section winch we have quoted. On certain other points a compromise was effected, and on -one or two the Council gave way altogether. The Conservative party in the House did not combine to defeat the perpetual "leasing provisions. If such had been the case • the Bill would not have passed the 'lower Chamber. As to what the " Sun"" says of Mr Rolleston having made an to introduce the principle of the perpetual lease in the South Island 1 , we "may remark that he drew no distinct km "between north and south. If the perpetual leasing system, as provided in the Bill as it passed the House, had become law, the new departure would have applied to (Crown lands in all parts of the colony. Our contemporary, with every wish to "be fair ,to Mr Rolleston, does , him ratiher less than justice.