LEASEHOLD V. FREEHOLD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7203, 14 September 1901, Page 4

LEASEHOLD V. FREEHOLD.

DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER. [From Our Correspondent.] . WELLINGTON, Sept. 13/ The Premier Was interviewed yesterday evening by a number of members, wlio sought, to urge on the Government the urgent need <of preventing the freeholder from under-running the foml forsettlement system .of tenure. ' . * Mr Hogg, ■who acted as spokesman, said that the report of the Department of Lands and Survey shows 4haifc during the year ended March 31, 190 V the r^pte for land - from all sources amounted to £431,338, being £48,395 in excess of the preyjpusjye^r. ... The acreage dealt -with was ■1,667^ / Qf ..this, 1,099,185 represented pastoral' runs leaded' to 99 individuals. Out of th* remaining 568>559 acres, 54i free* holders w«re ; created with an area of 150,313 acres. There were also 673 selectors, -who acquired 262,729 acres -with the right of purchase. As the result, therefore; of the year's operations, 1214 persona had become, or were in process of being 1 made, freeholders, the area thus alienated being 412,042 acres. In congas* -with- these figures, only 97,138 acres were selected fey 295 persons under lease in perpetuity. The revenue from the iand practically aSenated amounted 1 to £112,405, or about one-fourth of the revenue. ..During, the year, 70,833 acres of freehold were bought by tfhe State for close settlemettt, at a cost of £350,193, and 412,042 acrea were disposed of for free-hold-and for any kind of settlement, for £112,405. The Premier, in reply » said it was a question of degree, a question of whether the colony should make a sudden stop or should taper off. The legislation now on. the Statute Book was framed with the intention of tapering off as far as the system of land tenure was concerned. But there was also more in it than that : there was an evasion of what the legislation intended, in- that settlers were surrendering their leases, and those that took them up Took them on freehold. He recognised the necessity to remedy this evasion. He was surprised at the area of land* that had been, sold into freehold last year. He did not want the revenue ; he would sooner have <t!he capital value an<d see. the land remain to the colony. The Government would avoid giving any right to the freehold as far. as in administration it could be avoided, fle did -not £bink it was possible to' pass ail amending measure this session-. If the proposed amendment was on the floor of the 'House, he was -not sure -whether it would be supported 'by a majority of members. . In his opinion, the House was pretty even* ly divided on the question, and they might get a set back. What was wanted • was th« education of the people. They should! be educated not to give tfceir birthright away. The deputation knew 'his views on the subject, and he was expressing tbe^ t:CW of the majority of the Cabinet. Asjregards Native larwi legislation, . they . would better know "how tfiey were when they : got the present legislation in force. The Maoris were a very peculiar (people, and easily frightened, and if the Government attempted to do what was proposed, and to bring Native lands on the West Coast and throughout the colony under the Land for Settlements Act, they mijrht take up a negative position, and the Government would 1 , in that case, do no good at all. The alienation complained of was only alienation by way of . lease, and what did it matter? It was-, still the State, or at amy irate the Maoris were people of *he colony like ourselves. ■ The Presn&er added that lie . did not think it wise to deal at present with- Naltave. 'lawcte ucdisr tie Land tor. Settlement ' Act.* Let therm dteal wfth Grown lands for tfer present, audwitSi tto other when the occasion arose. With- -xe-g-aird to the Assets Boaird properties, ii would be of interest to ffe dteputaifciioa to fea'rh that lie held in his 'hand a Bill — the Assets Realisation Board) Land Biil, 1901. Six weeks ago ihe had brought the subject under the watice of the Assets Board, wdtib &hV- iesu)!* that the -Bill bad) been dirafted, and had been approved; at the laet meeting, saad- vt was now being oonsideredi by Sairmself and by W. Frascir, with a view to artfttidinfc it before placing it before Parliament. The object' was Ho dfeal -with the lands of the Assets Realisation Board tit* "the same way as laiocte were dealt with uwdier the Land for Settlemenite Aot^ — to cut fthem up, ami read 1 aavdl lease them on tihe same terms. The 'present position was .that the Assets Board ctouldi not, in the disposal of its land!?, comT>ete with the Crown, and if the Beard sold them: up it wouCd d» just wiha* the diaputiatron was objecting tc—increase the freehtold. On tJne ottter hard, the Assets Board was not -a body- that shculd have a contxniual existen'cs. It was set up for a specific purpose, for reaOfeathm-, but i-fc could not realise wafer eadsting condtlfcrons, isavs by a tremendous sacrifice to the bank shareholders, and perhaps also to tba colony. There were two; waj« of dealifi^ -with tbe dliffi«iilt.y, and! tttfe firsifc was to get ihe estates valued, and set up * Couift to assess 'tihe valu'aition in the same .way as undw the Land for Settlements Act. Then ■ th© State could issue debentures on th« onehand! of the aorouot of the value of tihe f^tafcs, «n\& on trie ether (band to tihe bank' or colony of tihe same amount as tihe liability. Buib that could onJy be dtone to a partial extern*, because it would tai© away the capital of the bank if ayailed of too m»ch. - The bank !had been advanced nsoney •eiqual to tihe value of tie asset*, aiwj the •nTltidrawal of t!bis would, from tihfei bawks point of view, be ft ;gireaifc objection. The alternative proposal was the one to -wiwi he wished to jive effect— to «ive the ertatw the same position *3 that of itbe lands under the Land for Settlemietots «o that anyone taking th"3tro up shouWi dto co m the same way as a Cnowm tenant vsaSes that syss*eim. That was it'h© edhem'e, and he thought it was workable.. It would be of iyreat benefit to widie dlist.riot-9, in which large estates undl?ir tibe Board 1 wrre locked up. If revaluation was inserted, things wtould be pu* in a Trcise condition trtaa they were in now. People would mot take up leases under revaluation whstn tease in perpetuity could be h&dt. He washed 1 the deputation and the country to know that I the Asserts Board was desirous to give effect to the -wisTii of PaTliamenit, to promote closer i settlement, and to realise without sacrifioe«

BIBITHS. FOX^— Septf. 18, it 170, South Belt, <&» mfc of C. Dtthretth Toxl Waifcari, of a aon. WJl&Eß.— August 17, *t Bi ABapb Street, /Ohriatehuroh, the wife of Alexander .W. ' Miller, Gobble* Valley, of a son. DAY— PORTEOUS^-Augturt" 31, 1901. »t &c residence of the bride's parenite, by -tibe Rev D. MoNicoli, John Huiniphrey Day, to Louiea, fifth daughter of George Porteous, both of Lytieliton. + .* L i. ZING— GUOWSU- Sept 12, «t ChnstohTOoh, by the Rev Gow, Walter George King, Wangaaui, to leabell* Gunn, Ohriatchuxfllr. RAVEN— McLEA-N-<3ep<t. 11, at Si S-tephens Chunk, Lincoln, by the &cv H. WillMma, John, eldest son of Mr Joseph i»ven.Hioh- i mond, to Mary (Minnie), eldest daughter of Mr R. McLean, Lincoln. ■ „ fRnLSON— HAELEY.-Sept 11, ty the Rev A. W. Averill, aii St Michael « and Ail Angela, Ohristolmxch, Bosamoie Cracroft, second son of F. H. Wilaon, Cashmere, to EHi -Marion, itoxi daughter of ■&« laito E. S. Harley, Ohrigtehurch. ' DEATHS. „ . . ' CRB9WELL/-^ept. 8, at ilooart, Elu»b«fli Rachel, wife of Oharlw Oreswell, and daughter of *he late Robert Black, of Cnnstchurob. . . .* ■ m . CUFF.Sept. 14, 1901, «t hia xesidenoe, 74, Cheater Staeflfc, Eaafc Chrißtchurctt, Cornelius C?uf!; aged eucty-four. Funeral: for Avonside Oametery, Monday, imh, »••»•_:. BATVI/BY.— On Friday, Sept. 18, Mlartti* Hawley, wife of J. S. Hawley, Bath Svreet, in -her seventy-ninth year. ■ MioG'RECrO'R.— Sept IS, at Bromley, G-unAi Amelia, beloved wife of T>. W. MtoOwgor, i» her thirtieth, year. -Deeply regretted. ' IN -MBMORIAM. HOBSON.— In loving memory of Arthur Hoomo. son of John and Mary Hobson, who died at Wooiston on Sept. 14, SI9OO, ag«d eleven years. '■...- 'TiB hard Ho break -flic tender cord I "When love has bound the heart; "Sia hard, so hard, 4» speak the -word*: "We for a time must part." SOMMEIR.— In liebfool- memory of Henry Sommer, who departed this life fur die Ewige heimath in lie -New Plymouth Hospital, Sep*. 14, 1696. v- - - . Inserted by hia loving parents.