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THE SERVICEMEN'S SETTLEMENT AND LAND SALES ACT, 1943 This is the first report of a full year's operations under the Act. Contrary to general expectations, the Act has not had the effect of discouraging people from entering into contracts for the sale and purchase of land. In the three years immediately preceding the enactment of this legislation there was an average of 28,201 transfers of land registered annually. These were classified as 22,947 " urban " and 5,254 " rural " transactions. During the twelve months under review, 37,038 applications were received, of which 32,077 concerned town properties and 4,961 country properties. Even allowing for uncompleted transactions, it seems' clear, therefore, that the Act has brought no restraint upon the property market. The fifteen Land Sales Committees, which have primary jurisdiction in dealing with applications, have had an onerous year. Except in Auckland, they have kept abreast of the inflow of applications in a satisfactory fashion. Rather more than one-third of the total transactions of the Dominion arise in the Auckland District, where a total of 13,500 was reached. It was therefore necessary to establish another Committee, and this has been set up in South Auckland, with Hamilton as its centre. The territories of the other three Auckland Committees have been rearranged so as to lighten the burden of work and permit greater expedition. The shortage of trained Valuers (both Crown and private) is still the greatest single cause of delay. Had the demand for valuations not grown beyond the proportions appertaining in the first months of the operation of the Act, the clog on the flow of the work would have been eliminated by now. Rather unexpectedly, however, vendors and agents, instead of accommodating themselves to establish standards, have shown an inclination to seek higher figures, thus impelling Committees to requisition valuations. The shortage of Valuers is being gradually relieved, and, moreover, the work of Committees is being lightened as the Valuers gain in experience and general efficiency. Greater expedition is also contributed to by a growing body of rulings from the Court which serve to guide not only the Committees, but also the legal profession and the Valuers who practise before them. As the accompanying statistics disclose, the number of appeals is a small percentage of the decisions given by the Committees. The soundness of the first orders of the Committees may be said to be demonstrated by the fact that of the 187 appeals lodged 28 were allowed in full and 3i in part. The Court held twenty-four sessions in fourteen centres and at the end of the year only four appeals awaited a hearing. In the 1944 session of Parliament, amending legislation gave the Crown the right of appeal. At 31st March this right had been exercised only on three occasions. Section 51 of the Act gives the Crown the right to intervene in an application to sell farm lands. If the Committee finds that the land is suitable or adaptable for the settlement of one or more discharged servicemen, it may make an order to that effect, and leave the Minister at liberty to take the land. This right has been exercised in eighty-nine cases. The result has been the acquisition of 26,302 acres capable of settling one hundred and thirty servicemen. Part II of the Act, which enables the Minister compulsorily to take land if it is suitable for subdivision (but leaving the owner an economic holding if he so desires), has been operated sparingly. Two properties have been thus taken of a total area of 3,830 acres. Notices of intention to take land under Part II have been given affecting five further properties of a total area of 6,312 acres. Until schemes of subdivision are completed it is not possible to state accurately the number of discharged servicemen who can be settled on the properties taken or under action. So far only one case has come before the Court to fix the amount of compensation, but no decision has yet been given. Although this Part of the Act has been used so little, the fact that it exists has had an important effect. Landowners have been the more ready voluntarily to offer to sell their properties and the Crown (as is reported elsewhere) has been enabled to conclude the purchase of a satisfactory number of properties by private treaty. During the year a conference of Chairmen and senior departmental officers was held. This contributed a great deal towards uniformity of practice and interpretation of the law and to the more efficient working of the administrative machinery. Suggestions for amendments to the Act were preferred to Government and some were incorporated in amending legislation. The Committees have evinced a keen desire to carry into effect the underlying policy of the Act harmoniously and equitably. There is no doubt that they are entitled to unqualified commendation for what they have achieved. It will, perhaps, not be inappropriate to restate that the purpose of the Act" is not to depress but to stabilize values. There can be no doubt that this has been achieved in large measure. Personnel changes on Committees during the year were as follows :— L. B. Freeman appointed Deputy Chairman of Christchurch Urban Committee, 17th May, 1944. W. McC. Taylor appointed Deputy Chairman of Otago Committee, 24th May, 1944. J. W. A. Stead appointed member of Auckland Urban Committee in place of the late G. C. Campbell, 28th June, 1944. O. N. Campbell appointed Chairman of Wellington Rural Committee in place of T. Jordan, resigned, sth July, 1944. L. J. Brake appointed member of North Auckland Committee in place of the late H. C. Fraser, 29th November, 1944. R. Walls appointed member of Otago Committee in place of the late N. McNamara, 17th January, 1945. T. L. Campbell appointed a deputy member of Otago Committee, 7th March, 1945. New Hamilton Committee appointed, 7th March, 1945 : S. Lewis (Chairman), C. A. Barrel], G. J. Silcock,

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