THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND PROPOSALS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1437, 21 December 1886, Page 2

THE GOVERNMENT'S LAND PROPOSALS.

Those of our readers who are anxious to see the "settlement of the lands of the colony extending on every hand — in a word to witness the resumption of true colonisation—will read with considerable satisfaction those extracts from Mr Ballance’s recent speech at Oamaru which appear in our columns. These were taken from the report of the North Otago Times, on comparing which wi b that furnished by the Mail, we find hit ihe latter supplies fuller details of Mr Ballance’s remarks, some of which are of great importance. Having now, therefore, before us all the salient features of the proposals to be submitted to Parliament next session in the direction of land expropriation, let us glance for a moment at their nature and scope. And first it will he noted that the proposal of Sir George Grey to purchase private lands by means of bonds or debentures is at' once rejected, Mr Ballance proposing that all payments shall be made in actual cash. Next, it is w-sely determined that the Government shall not itself directly negotiate with the vendor, but that private associations shall be enabled to purchase by the Government advancing three-fourths of the purchase money at 5 per cent. In cases where the owners of large estates are determined to block all settlement, the land may be taken compulsorily on fair terms, th-se terras including the ac ual value of the land, as land, allowance for severance damage, etc., while as a per contra there is to be taken into account, and allowed for, any increased value which may be given to the remainder of the original holder’s estate through the extension of settlement adjacent iheret'6. The members of the purchasing association are to hold their land upon lease from the Crown (in which it would seem the title is to be vested) for the term of 21 years, renewable at the expiration of the term, with priority to the original lessee. On completion of improvements by th j lessee, up to, or exceeding, 25 per cent, of the value of the land, the Government will advance to him, upon loan, an equivalent amount at the same rat-e of interest, viz., 5 per cent,, the Government being, as Mr I Ballance p >inted out, thoroughly secure in making such lurther advance, as the very fact of the improvements being made would be evidence of the bona Jidcs of the tenant. The area which might he held by any one individual would depend upon circumstances, the maximum being smaller in proportion to the nearness of the land to a town. Provision is, however, to be made for what Mr Ballance terms “ the expansion of families,” parents being allowed to take up land on behalf of children of certain ages. “Upon this principle the single people would not get land until the families were provided fir.” The holder would “ be able to transfer his section to any one, provided that the buyer was not already a landholder. He (Mr Ballance) held that there should be the utmost freedom of transfer, so that a settler mieht at ary time sell his section and gef the value of his improvements; but it would be necessary to prevent anyone holding more than one section, otherwise there would arise all the evils of the present system, which had arisen from the constant buying out of small owners and the welding of field to field and acre to acre.” Generally, these provisions are sound, sensible, and satisfactory, and it is further pleasing to find that Mr Ballance is also able to show that his scheme is feasible from q financial point of view. In answer to the question as to how the money is to obtained, he said :—“ There were the Government trust funds—the moneys of the Government Life Assurance Department and the Post Office Savings Banks—which, ha held, could not be applied to a better purpose. These moneys were now advanced upon large estates, and they were thus being app’ied to make their position much worse, and in maintaining and promoting monopoly. Some of the money was also invested in Government debentures, and applied to the making of railways, some of which did nothing towards promoting the settlement of the people on the land. By using these moneys for the settlement of the land they would be adding to the wealth of the country, and doing their duty by the establishment of homes for the people.” Altogether, we concur with Mr Ballance that the features of the proposed new Settlement Bill, which is to be introduced next session, are “ soundly conceived, and broad and just in principle,” and we are glad to find that he is of opinion that “ the Legislature is ready to admit the necessity for such a measure,” and that he has therefore “ great hopes of Its passing ” into law.