MR CUTTEN’S LAND RESOLUTIONS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 84, 20 June 1871, Page 6

MR CUTTEN’S LAND RESOLUTIONS.

The following are the resolutions introduced by Mr W. H. Cutten, and passed by the Provincial Council, with the view of facilitating the acquirement of land for bona field settlement. We are glad to observe from the division lists that the resolutions were carried by so large a majority as 31 to 7. A division was taken on the first resolution only, all the others being carried “on the voices.” The division list is appended : t f Ayes (21) : —Messrs Allan, Armstrong Barr, Barton, Bastings, Bathgate, Bradshaw, Brown (J. C.), Browne (Cl. P. C.), Cantrell, Clark, Cutten (teller), Daniels, Duncan, Gillies, Green, Henderson, Hickey, Hutcheson, Lumsden, Mackenzie, Menzies, Mervyn, Mollison, M‘Arthur, Reid (teller), Robertson, Shand, Shepherd, Smith, and Sumpter. Noes (7) : Messrs Bell (teller), Galbraith, M'Glashan, M'Lean (teller), Reynolds, Seaton, and Webster. 1. “ That the Hundreds Regulation Act, 1869, and the Hundreds Regulation Amendment Act, 1870, are injurious to the interests of the people of Otago, by impeding settlement, creating delay in opening land for purchase, and diminish, ing the land revenue of the Province, and therefore the said Act should be repealed.” 2. “ That, as in many of the earlier proclaimed Hundreds, the Crown Lands bear so small a proportion to the sold land as to render the amounts collected as assessment so small as not to pay the expense of a Ranger’s salary, the Waste Lands Act Amendment Act be repealed, and •ther provisions made in lieu thereof, so that in all Hundreds the rate of assessment be reduced when two-thirds of the said hundreds have been sold, and shall cease entirely when throe-fourths of any Hundred be sold.” 3. “ That it is desirable that the land laws of tho Province should be made more liberal, and that facilities should be offered for hona fide settlement and occupation of land by deferred payments of the purchase-money, end by allowing the rents of land held under agricultural leases being placed to the credit of the lessee as pur-chase-money, in the event of his becoming purchaser.” 4. “That the extent of such holdings be limited to 320 acres by any one person, and shall not be transterrable, except in the event of the death of the holder, an I then only with the sanction of the Government.” 5. “ That a license to occupy any quantity of land not exceeding 320 acres, may be granted to any person of IS years of age, not under any legal disability, except non-age, for three years on the following conditions : 6 “That he shall occupy tho land by residing thereon, within six months from the license being granted. 7. “ That he shall enclose and plough onetenth part of his holding within two years. 8. “ And shall within three years expend £1 per acre iu improvements.” 9. ‘ 1 On compliance with the above conditions, the licensee shall be entitled to acquire the freehold on payment of such a sum as, together with the fees already paid, will make the purchase money £1 10s per acre, or obtain a lease for seven years, at a rental of 3s per acre per annum.” 10. “ That all applicants for land on deferred payments shall, during the currency of their licenses, have the same rights of pasturage as the purchasers by immediate payment. 11. “That any person who shall have taken up any smaller quantity of land, on deferred payment, may increase his holding to 320 acres at any time.” 12. “ The Superintendent, with the consent of the Executive Council, may from time to time proclaim districts or blocks of land, within which licenses to occupy on deferred payments may be granted, either exclusively or together with land open for sale by immediate payment, and may alter, amend, or revoke such proclamation.” 13. “ That the Superintendent be empowered, with the sanction of the Provincial Council, from time to time to proclaim certain areas out side Hundreds or blocks, for the purpose of settlement, by purchase on deferred payments.” 14. “ That a Bill be prepared to give effect to the foregoing resolutions, and that the same be laid on the table of the Provincial Council during the present session.”