CROWN LAND TENANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 152, 27 June 1907, Page 5

CROWN LAND TENANTS.

PAY UP Oβ FORFEIT! DODGING OBLIGATIONS. ' Some comment was made by the Commissioner at the Land Board to-day upon the practice obtaining among a certain class of Crown tenants to avoid as long a.s possible compliance with the terms of tenancy. A schedule was -presented to the Board of lessees and licensees who were several payments in arrears with their rent, and in some cases had not complied with the conditions of their holdings. The Commissioner moved— "That in cases of arrears of rental, where tenants have had every extension and every consideration offered, the Board should at once sue or require the forfeiture of sections."

A great many of the people nil through the district, said Mr Mackenzie, were endeavouring one way and another to avoid their obligations. There was a certain number of people who would not pay, and that class of tenant should have no further consideration. Many of these people were taking up land and, in some cases, were effecting improvements, but they were not living upon their sections. No doubt many of them intended ultimately to settle upon them, but that was not the question. They were avoiding compliaree with the conditions. Mr Armstrong: If they intend to settle, why not let them remain so long as they pay ? Mr Mackenzie: There are a great many who can pay but will not. They are simply trading upon the leniency of the Board. The arrears, in comparison with the number of settlers, are not great, but there are some who will not pay. Mr Harris thought it was the duty of the Board to extend as much leniency as possible, but it certainty was not the Board's duty to let the land to people who might be holding the land for speculative purposes. Mr Mackenzie did not think that all those people were holding their land for speculative purposes. The point was that they would not pay. Mr Harris: Then it is not fair to genuine settlers that such folk should be allowed to remain without complying with conditions. In connection with arrears of rates, the Rodney County Council forwarded a certificate that they had obtained judgment for arrears of rates on certain property, and they called upon the Board to recover these rates under section 124 of "The Land Act, 1892." The Commissioners resolution, was unanimously agreed to.