The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 1886. EXPROPRIATION OF LAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1402, 9 November 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY NOVEMBER 9, 1886. EXPROPRIATION OF LAND.

That in order to provide for the i extension of settlement, it is absolutely i necessary as regards many parts of the Middle Island that the Crown should < expropriate, that is reacquire by pur- - chase from the present holders suitable ] areas of land, to our mind admits of no , question, and as it would appear from j the recent utterances of that gentleman ( that Mr Ballance is of the same opinion, , we trust that the Government will , boldly face the position and bring , down next session a Bill conferring the f requisite powers upon the Ministry of the day. Undoubtedly it will be necessary in framing such a Bill to guard ! against the danger of enabling pressure . to be brought to bear on the Government for the purchase from the present 1 holders of lands of an unsuitable class, 1 or of suitable lands at excessive prices, and Parliament will assuredly, and very properly, reject any measure which is < not hedged round by all due safeguards. 1 The subject, we admit, presents many 1 points of difficulty, but we think we can ’ sketch out the main lines upon which i the Bill should be founded. These are i that it should be shown : j 1. That land is required for the , purpose of village or small farm settle- i ment in the district in which it is I proposed that the purchase of land ’ shall be made by the Crown. ‘ 2. That there are no suitable Crown lands available for such purpose. ; 3. That there is suitable land in ' the hands oi private owners which can 1 be acquired at a figure upon which a , return of 5 per cent, could be readily 1 obtained by the Crown on cutting, up ; such land into holdings of the required ' acreages. 4. That there is a sufficient number of intending settlers ready and willing to take up such land, at such rental, if so purchased and subdivided. 5. That the foregoing particulars : should be set forth in a memorial signed 1 by the intending settlers, addressed to the Waste Lands Boad of the Provincial , District in which the block proposed , to be purchased by the Crown is < situated. ] 6. That it should be the duty of the Waste Land Board to verify all the allegations of the memoralists, to ascertain the suitability and value of the ' land (the latter to be determined by a 1 competent valuer and to include sever- ; ance damages) and as to the bona fidts, : character, and suitability of the appli- ] cants, and to report as to all these matters to the Minister of Lands, with a recommendation as to whether or : not the memorial should be given 1 effect to. ■ 7. That in the event of a satisfactory , report and favorable recommendation ] by the Board the Governor in Council 1 should have power to take the land j referred to by proclamation for settle- , ment purposes at the rate per acre ] fixed by the Waste Land Board in its > report, plus say ten per cent by way of 1 compensation for deprivation. ] 8. That the lands so acquired ] should be surveyed into holdings of the f acreages required by the memorialists ‘ and offered to them in priority upon c perpetual leases at a rental, for the \ first term, equal to 5 per cent per 1 annum upon the purchase price. * We believe that a Bill upon these j lines would meet all the necessities of e the case and would deserve and obtain 1 the favorable consideration of Parliament. The matter is one to'which a _ great deal of attention is being devoted r by the public, and we trust that the - Government will see their way to take 0 action in the direction indicated early in the coming session. 0 ■ l