Education Reserves.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XIII, Issue 2404, 14 August 1895, Page 2

Education Reserves.

(Hansard). Mr Hall asked the Government, As many occupiers of education reserves leased their holdings before any provision -was made that they should receive the value of their improvements at the expiration of their leases, will the Government legislate so that the lessees may bo put on the same footing as educa-tion-lease holders now are, by receiving the value of such improvements when such reserves are released ? He was understood to say that the Minister of Lands had last session promised to have some Act passed to provide for these men getting compensation for improvements. Within his own knowledge several tenants who occupied education leases were about to leave them, and if they had to forfeit the whole of the improvements it would leave them almost penniless. He thought, therefore, if the Government could see their way to introduce some legislation whereby they should receive a fair share of the value of their improvements, it would be only equitable to these tenants. Mr J. McKenzie said the education reserves wepe under the control of Commissioners, and they objected, of course, to any interference by the

House in their dealings with the reserves. So far as the rental of the reserves was concerned, it would be dealt with under the Fair Kent Bill; and he was now considering another short Bill, which he hoped to bring down towards the end of the session, and which would give some better security to these people. His own opinion was that any one who occupied property of this sort should be protected to a large extent by some means.