THE LAND COMMISSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 45, 22 February 1905, Page 5

THE LAND COMMISSION.

IMPORTANT RESOLUTIONS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, this day. At this morning's meeting of the Land Commission the resolutions passed at the Land Conference, held at Wellington in December, were made public for the first time. The following are the most important points: That all members ok land boards be appointed by the Governor. That the system of deferred payments hi: again introduced, to apply »nly to ordinary Crown lands. That the existing regulation .with regard to the rotation of crops be retained, , but that discretionary power be given to land boards to make eoncesaiohs in exceptional cases. That the Land Transfer Act be amended to euable selectors to transfer portions of their leases, convert leases, etc. Tijat the time has arrived when, in the interests of settlement, the present residential conditions might be relaxed fov q period of not over seven years, in respect to all second or third class land, and all forest or swamp land, irrespective of class. Under the head of variations and alterations of the law regarding tenure and occupation there are a number of small resolutions commending discretionary power to land boards re cultivation, provision for leasing Crown land by auction, Gr application within seven-year terms; that the clause in the Land Act of 1885 re resumption of small grazing runs be re-enacted. The conference was of opinion that the homestead system should be again brought into force for the purpose of settling the poorer lands of the colony; that land boards should be given power to examine any applicant for land under the Land .«\ct of 1892, with a view to judging of their eligibility or otherwse •as settlers, with full power to reject or accept, the Board's decision to be final; that the principle of grouping or classifying allotments is necessary in most cases for dealing with the applications under the Land lor Settlement Act, sections in each group to -be allotted by ballot amongst the applicants in a particular group by order of choice; an applicant to have the right of withdrawal, arid to have Ms deposit returned; that preference be given ■to certain classes of applicants, particularly married men nnd those unsuccessful in previous billot?; .thai, a husband and wife may apply for the 'same section, but if either is successful the other must fall out; that with si view to providing road access as quickly as possible on new blocks to all holdings, the present system of paying "thirds" and "fourths" to local bodies should be abolished and capitalised by the Crown from the start and added" to an- lon ding for road-making on the laud on oiFev: that power should be given to load land up to 50 per cent, of its value after roadinjr and improvement: that Crown tenants are placed at a disadvantage by the fact that advances made by tha superintendentto them are less than to freeholders, and that they should have the same pro-poi-tion of a-dvancea; that the maximum amount advanced by the Advances tp Settlers' Department to the individual borrower should be largely reduced for the purposes of providing funds for men with small means desirous of taking up rough land in the interior. (Continued on Pagp 3.)

At the meeting of the Education Board to-day Mr Greenslade drew attention to the great earc and attention given by Mr G. George to the manual training brjmeh under his charge. It was decided that the thanks of the Board be tendered to Mr.George for the work he had done. The Wellington section of the New Zealand, branch of the British Medical Association will be represented at the copierenee, wheh opens at Auckland on Tuesday next, by Dr3. Martin (locaj president), Mason, and Valintine (chier health officer and assistant-chief health officer respectively), Isabel, Watson, Collins, and Young, and probably Dr. Purdy (local secretary).