SMALL GRAZING RUNS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1506, 31 July 1912, Page 2

SMALL GRAZING RUNS.

BASIS OF RATING. MLACJ'I OF CONTRACT ALLEGED. Provision is lo bo made in the Land Bill which is to lie introduced this ses-=-iaii for ii readjustment of the condition.-, under which small grazing runs are held under lca.so from the Crown. One grievance of the tenants of these lands was ventilated by a depuration which waited .yesterday upon tne lion. YV". ]•'. Jlassey (Prime .Minister). The deputation consisted of ilessr.-i. T. lline and Whitcmnu, of llaiigamahu, and was introduced by .Mr. L'. Newman, M.P. Mr. J. )!. IHne, 31.P., also attended. Tiie deputation asked for the repeal of (ho provisions in the Itnting-, Amendment Act of i'Jlfl under which the' rating upon smitll grazing tuns was increased. It wan stated that an amendment passed in 1911 (,'ave relief to lessees of small grazing runs in the South Island, but not to those of tho North Island. Lessees of these lands in tho North island considered that if they were to be rated on the same basis as freeholders they should be given the option of acquiring the freehold. It was contended that tho Act of 1910, which largely increased the liabilities, of the. lessees, amounted to a breach of the contract into which the Crown had entered with its tenants. A petition from the grazing run lessees prepared for presentation to the House lias laid before the Prime Minister. The petition emanates from the lessees of small grazing runs in the llaugamahu ltoacl District, Wangomii County, and stales that the runs concerned were taken up under tho Land Act, 1885. Tho runs do not resemble the small grazing runs of the South Island, but arc merely ordinary bush sections, no larger in area, no better in quality, and no cheaper as regards rent than adjoining lands which were thrown open for lease, with right of purchase. Tho Bating Act, 1882, provided thill: tho rateable value of Crown pas. toral lands should lie tho sum which, in. vested at G per cent, per annum, would produce an income equal to the rent. Tho leases, specified that all rates and taxes should bo levied on this basis. The Ke.tnig Amendment Act, 1892, provided that the rateable value cf small grazing runs should be assessed in the same manner as others occupied lands of the Crown, but this provision was repoale-l hy the lifting Act of IS9I. ilie leases were all renewed in 11108 and 1909, the basis of rating being tho same as at the commencement of the first term of tho leases. In lillO, before some of the new leases had been signed, tho Government passed the Eating Amendment Act, 1910, providing that tho rateable value of small grazing runs should be assessed in .the same manner as other occupied lauds of the Crown. The petitioners submitted that this constituted a breach of agreement, as between tho Crown and its tenant. In tho Mangamahu district, it was added, some grazing run lessees had to pay special rates amounting lo 3d. in the £. Tenants of small ing- runs, it is added, have no interest in the improved value Lrought about by .reading, though they pay for it equally with freeholders. The petitioners ask that, if the present system of rating is to bo adherod to, they should bo given a secure, tenure with the option of purchase. Tha Primo Minister said that he sympathised with those people who had gone out into the back-blocks fifteen or twenty years ago, taken up rough bush sections, roaded the land, and brought it into settlement. In his opinion, the;tenants of small grazing. nuts had a grievance. Ho had referred 'tho matter to the Crown Law Officers, and hoped that «, way ont which would bo equitable to tho Rlato as well as to tho occupiers of the land would bo found in time to have it embodied in the Land Bill, which he hoped to introduce and pass during tho coming session. Ho 'had so fully expressed his opinions in reference to small grazing runs in answering a previous deputation that it was unnecessary to go into further details. .