THE ADMINISTRATION OF CROWN LANDS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Waikato Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 3492, 10 November 1894, Page 2

THE ADMINISTRATION OF CROWN LANDS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

The following taken from the Sydney Mail is of interest at the present juncture, particularly in view of the tendency in this colony to increase and develop land dealing and other lengthened pecuniary relations hetween the Government and the electors:—The Land Act of 1884 made provision for the setting apari of lands to be selected as special areas, within a special maximum as to size, at a minimum as to price of £1 10s per acre, and under special conditions as topayments, etc, to be set forth in the proclamation. It appears that up to the end of 1893, 661,000 acres had been conditionally purchased under these provisions, at an average price of about £2 per acre. What with the depression, the lowness of prices, and other adverse influences, many of the purchases of these special areas now repent of their bargains, for they find it difficult to make good their payments. Many of them have applied for extensions of time; but up to the end of 1894 there had been only HI forfeitures, including an aggrogate area of 10,000 acres. There is, however, an agitation for better terms, and a deputation waited upon the Minister for Lands, the other day, to ask for a substantial reduction of the contract prices. The Minister, whilst pointing to some concessions in favour of these and other conditional purchasers in the new Land Bill, answered with caution, and expressed his disinclination to assent to anything in the- nature of a repudiation of contracts. In doing this he occupied good ground. The case of sojie of these 'special area selectors may be one of hardship ; but it is always to be remembered that they took up the land with their eyes open. If they agreed to pay a special price for it, they , did so because they expected to obtain special value. Jf they had purchased from private owners instead of from; the State, they would have been required to fulfil their contracts or accept the consequences. How many hundreds of people have found themselves in that position? The latter, however, do not apply to the State for relief because they miscalculated, or because times have altered for the worse. It is not easy to see why others who have made contracts with the State should obtain relief at the cost of the public. But this agitation, supported as it is by,members of the Assembly, and strengthened in other ways by political influence, serves to illustrate the danger arising from the creation' of long-standing conditional pecuniary relations between the Government and electors. There is another proposal before the House to reduce the annual payments by ordinary conditional purchasers from Is to Gd per acre per annum. If the land sold by the State eould be bought outright' by one payment, or even—supposing the scheme were otherwise feasible—if it were given away by one act of gift so as to get rid then and there of all entangling business relations, the tendency would be healthy, ro far as concerns honest legislation and good whatever might bo the effect upon the finances.