LAND LAWS MADE PLAIN.

Western Star, 13 April 1920, Page 4

LAND LAWS MADE PLAIN.

AS TO PURCHASING POWERS AND THE HELP GIVEN TO SOLDIERS. [From the Dunedin ‘Evening Star’.] Mr R. T. Sadd, Commissioner of Crown Lands in Otago, lias prepared, for the information . of the Land Board and the local Land Purchase Board, an abstract of the Discharged Soldiers’ Settlement Act, the Land Laws Amendment Act of last session, and the Land Laws Amendment Acts relative to the aggregation of lands. This abstract is written out in simple form, so as to be understandable by laymen. Mr Sadd’s labours in this direction will be very much appreciated by those who wish to know exactly what these laws mean. AVe are thankful for a copy for the guidance of the public. LAND LAWS AMENDMENT, 1919. —Appointment Laud Purchase Controller andi District Board.— Dominion Land Purchase Board consists of Land Purchase Controller, Under-Secreta'ry for Lands, and Sur-veyor-General, and one other to- be appointed by Governor-General. Three to form a quorum. Functions, to control and carry out all negotiations for the purchase of land under the Land for Settlement Act, 1908. —Local Laud Purchase Board.— Commissioner of Crown Lauclte and three ether persons appointed by the Governor-General. : Members of Dominion Land Purchase Board shall, by virtue of their | office, be deemed (members of every 1 local Land Purchase Board. If Land I Purchase Controller present at any ! meeting of ai Land Purchase Board he shall have the right to preside. In every other case Commissioner of Crown Lands (who shall be official chairman of the board) shall preside at all meetings of the board at which he is present. Three members of Land Purchase Board to form a quorum. Terimi of appointment, two- years. Resignation must be made in writing, addressed to the Minister of Lands. Remuneration by way of salary or allowances be approved by Minister i out of moneys appropriated! by Parliai ment for the purpose. Any Land Purchase Board may within the land district to which appointed perform such of the functions olf the Dominion Land Purchase Board as may be conferred on it by delegation from that board. Sections 3,4, and 5 of the Land for Settlement Act, 1908, and) section 38 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914, are hereby repealed as from 1/1/1920. [These sections of Land for Settlement Act refer to the previousofficers and boards prior to the passing of this Act.] SPECIAL SETTLEMENT AVASTE LANDS OF CROWN AVASTE LANDS DEVELOPMENT. On recommendation of Land Board, Governor-General may by proclamation set apart for settlement under this section any area or areas of Crown l-amds which in the opinion: of the board cannot, by reason of its character, be profitably disposed of and occupied under any of the tenures on which Crown lands may be disposed of under the Land Act, 1908. No first-class land under Land Act, 1908, to he disposed of under this section.

Special conditions; License to occupy issued, but no rent or other charges (made. Term of license, 10 years, which may be renewed from time to time tor ai like term. Size of holdings, 400 acres secondclass laud, 1,000 acres third-class* computed under section 97, Land Act, 1908. On special recommendation of board and approval of Minister, size of holdings may be increased to 600 acres second-class and 1,600 acres third-class land. Improvements to be effected within 12 months; suitable dwelling with residence therein during term of lice ms. Residence may be dispensed with for four years if licensee lives on other label disposed of under this section on which a dwelling has been erected. Advances may be made on recomfmendation of Land Board and approval of Minister of Landfe. All .Moneys expended in giving access to tlie land may, at discretion of Minister of Lands, be apportioned in such proportions a-s the Minister thinks just between the several licensees of these lands; suck moneys to be deemed a loan grant''ed to the different licensees, bearing interest and repayable acoordiingly.

| Xo transfers allowed- . Exemption from general rates , . made and levied by any local authority for four years. At any time after expiration of seven years from date of license a licensee who has complied with the conditions shall be entitled without payment to the fee simple of the land. On surrender or forfeiture of any license the licensee shall be entitled to the value of any improvements effectedi by him In excess of the amount owing; by him to the Crown. This amount to be' paid by in coming tenant. Section 140 of Laud Act, 1908, amended by increasing the area of 3 acres to 10 acres. The board may dispose of with consent of Minister. (Sites for cheese or dairy factories, fruit-preserving factory, or creamery, i or for a church, manse, or parsonage, | and for a glebe in connection therei with, and for any other like purpose.) i Section 232 of Land Act, 1908, reI fating to the commencement of lieensj cm of pastoral runs disposed of by I way of auction under Part VI. -shall | also apply to licenses disposed otf on application under Section 91 of the Reserves and Other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act, I 1910. [Provision for payment in reI speot of improvement miade by lessees I of pastoral run*.] Section 283 of Land Act, 1908, amended by increasing maximum area from 100 to 200 acres. [This refers to occupation loaso.s unci or Part Vlll. of the land Act, 1908.] i Section 20 of the Land Laws; Amendment Act, 1912, as amended by Section. 13 of the Lands Laws Amendment Act, 1914, amended >y substituting 200 across for 25 acres. • [Refers to areas that may be disposed j Of in a kauri gum district.] |

Section 12 of tiie Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, amended l y omitting the words “ for six months hereafter.” [Refers to town and suburban lauds which have been offered for public auction and not disposed of. These will now remain open in the Land Guide,] Section 43 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, amended! by omitting “for a period of six months.” [Refers to settlement lands offered by public auction and not disposed of. These will remain open in the Laud Guide.] Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 50 of the Land Laws Amendr iment Act, 1913, the Minister off Lands may agree with any local authority that all'revenue derived from the land for any specified period within a special district shall be paid to such local authority for the repayment of any loan, raised by it for the fonn|ation of roads or bridges to give access to the land and for the payment of interest or other charges in respect of such loan. [Section 50. is Part 11., which deals with special districts for reading purposes ] Section 56 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, amended where the licensee is the holder of two licenses of pastoral runs, or if the wife and husband each hold such licenses, except with the approval of the Minister of Lands, shall only apply to the land comprised in one of such licenses. The right to purchase lease-in-per-petuity land for settlement is extended! (for the. benefit of returned soldiers for a, period of five years from, November 5, 1919. For any land taken by the Crown in pursuance of Section 65 of the Laud Laws Amendment Act, 1913 (relative to the acquisition of laud by way of aggregation), compensation, however, shall not exceed the Government valuation, with the addition of 1 10 per cent, and the value of all improvements effected on the land since the date of its acquisition by way of aggregation. The Government valuation shall be the capital value as assessed, on district valuation roll in force under the Valuation of Land; Act, 1908, at the time otf its acquisition, by aggregation. Provided such valuation has not been made more than two years before such acquisition by aggregation; if such valuation has been made earlier than two years, a fresh valuation shall be made by the Valuer-General as at that date. This section, is in substitution for section 8 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1918, and shall apply to' land acquired by aggregation at any time subsequent to the passing of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1918. [Section 65, Part VII., refers to the aggregation of private lands.] Land shall be deemed to be acquired by aggregation when any person becomes the owner thereof who is already the owner of any other land. Each of these pieces shall be deemed to have been acquired by aggregation. Such lauds, if suitable for close settlement, may be acquired by the Crown.

Compensation is paid by the Crown under the provision of the Public Works Act, 1908. No land can be so taken after me expiration of two years from) the date of the registration of the transfer by which the land was acquired. Section 29 of Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914, and Section 22 of 1915, shall, with necessary modifications extend and apply to cases where the Crown has expended moneys for the benefit and protection of a single holding or allotment; such 'moneys shall be, added to and deemed to form part of the capital value df each holding or allotment; the rent on this addition to the capital value shall be at the rate of 5 per centum. [Section 29 of Laud Laws Amtendlinent Act, 191.4, and Section 22 of 1915, and 77 of Laud for Settlement Act, 1908, refer to the whole settlement.] The right conferred by Section, Ii of the Land Laws Amendment, Act, -1914, to select one subdivision of -the former license is extended to permit the selection of any larger area contained in two or more such licenses if such subdivision comprises part m the land) formerly held by him under the expired license. , . . f This refers to the subdivision, of two adjoining, runs not necessarily held by the same licensee but winch it has been found advisable to subdivide so as to include parts of each run in one subdivision. If the licensees of the- two, runs should each decide to select the same subdivision, the board, having regard to the equity of the case* shall decide which licensee is best entitled to such subdivision, and their decision shall be final. t On the selection by the license© or any subdivision under Section 27 or the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914, or this section, the right (if any) of the licensee or the husbatid or wife or the licensee to select a subdivision of the land in any other license, whether then expired or to expire thereafter, shall cease and determine. Sub-section 7 of Section 15, Land Laws Amendment,Act, 1915, is amended! by omitting from such section the words “or of settlement lands.” [llefers to revaluation of lands and consequent reduction of rent; in the case of transfer the transferer is liable to pay up the difference in the rent so reduced; this now refers to Crown as well as settlement lands.] Where by proclamation under Section, 25 of the Reserve and Other Lands Disposal ami Public Bodies’ Empowering Act, 1911, any land has been declared (whether bdfore or after the passing this Act) to be subject to 127 of the Land Act, 1908. [The above section 25 gives power on the recommendation of the Land Board to grant to Crown tenants other than settlement, lauds relief under Section 127 of the Land Act, 1908; that is, exemption of rent and rates for period* of two to four years on swamp, scrub, or bush lands.]