CROWN LANDS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13339, 30 March 1911, Page 7

CROWN LANDS.

AGGREGATION OF LARGE AREAS. Protest by Commissioner. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON. March 30. The Commissioner of Crown Lands for AA r ellingtcn, at a meeting of the ■ Land Board to-day, spoke strongly against the aggregation of large areas of Crown lands by families. At Hie previous meeting of the Board an application by E. C, Allen, the bolder of two sections in the Ngamatca Survey District to transfer the same to F. Robinson, was refused on account of" the lami.y aggregation of areas, and Robinson, senior, a successful bush settler, uow re. tired, of over 30 years’ standing, attended to-day and askcij the Board to reconsider its decision. He was willing and ready, it was stated on his behalf, to guarantee his son’s overdraft at the bank and otherwise assist him ij' he proved a good farmer. The Board was asked not to put obstacles in the way of such a desirable settler acquiring laud which would be worked by the holder

The Commissioner pointed out that Robinson, senior, held 2000 acres of native land, his oldest son 1174 acres, and his wife 1041 acres. It did not seem to he carrying out the spirit of the Laud Act to grant another member of the family a considerable area. It savoured of laud aggregation, and land was becoming scarcer every day. If, as was threatened, Robinson paid 33 per cent, of the land’s capital value, and so removed the matter outside tlio jurisdiction of the Board, that was a matter for the law itself. The Board could not help that. The application will be considered m committee.