THE LAND BILLS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13316, 19 June 1907, Page 6

THE LAND BILLS.

. MR ELL'S CRITICISM. Asked wliab lie thought of the application of the " bursting up" policy to the Land Bill, Mr Ell yesterday told a " Herald." reporter that he greatly approved of it, because it would put thrto distinct issues separately before the Housj instead of confusing members' minds by presenting all thre>s at once. Limitation ox area (direct or indirect, by taxation), endowments, and length of leases, were, distinctly different things, and would be better legislated upon separately. The House' could then divide, into different sections on each, and it certainly would do so Mr Jill fees no objection to, granting; 65 vear leases to the pastoral tenants, provided that rents are revised every 14 or 21 years. That would be simp'y equivalent to a renewable lease for the shorter terms. With a provision for renewal for fair terms the tenant.? could .'.af-.-.y underfake improvements in the way of gracing, for of course the value of such improvements would be excluded in making valuations for revision of the rents. Hounderstood that the rrnholdrW objection to making improvements i>nd°r the existing leases ra that they had no right of r-enswal. • - 'Mr Ell was of opinion that the land for settlement system should b~> apnlif.;! to at least one estate, in the Fairli» district.. Ilv Allandak- estate, which has hr-en regotirit'-'d for, r>n'l hj? mnarl'ed th n t pt> th® so"fh si'-lf nf th? railway from Fairli 1 Hi'ta wni<»d to b? a large of country with very few housfc upon it.