LAND AGGREGATION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1815, 30 July 1913, Page 11

LAND AGGREGATION.

NO GLARING CASE.

COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.

GOVERNMENT EXONERATED.

MORE STRINGENT LAW URGED

Tho report of Mr. E. F. Hawthorne, tho Crowr. Lands Officer appointed to inquire into alleged cases of land aggregation, was laid on the table of the Houso of Representatives yesterday by the Prime Ministor, Mr. Hawthorne, in dealing with the question, "Has there been aggregation or not.-" says: "The term aggregation is, of course, both vague and elastic, but allowing for this I tnink it may fairly be. said that the case of the Burlings in tlio Aehanga and Mount Cerberus districts is a real caso of aggregation. The Messrs. W. A. and It. 1(. Urn-ling have since the year ISS3 acquired 10,190 acres of freehold land ami 1-175 acres of leasehold. If "aggregation" means the acquisition of a. greater area than is necessary for tho maintenance of the purchaser and his family, then the Burlings' case is doubtless one of aggregation, although it must bo pointed out that there is nothing in the information supplied by th 9 Commissioner of Crown Lands to indicate the class or quedity of tho land in question. Out of this 10,190 acres, tlio area purchased by tho Burlings direct from the Crown amounts to only 805 acres, and 110 fewer than 12,502 acres were alienated from tho Crown for cash prior to 18S8. It is therefore absurd to charge either the present Government or the Department with maladministration. "The case of the Wilsons (Hautapu, etc.) cannot, I think, bo placed in tho same category as that of the Burlings. There are eight separate owners, who liolu altogether an area of GGSS acres, made up of 4272 acre 3 freehold and 2386 acres leasehold;-. This gives an average of 832 acres for .each holder. /Whether or not this should bo regarded as a case of aggregation largely depends, it seems to me, on the relationship, ages, etc., of the various persons, and on these points I have no information. . . "Tho Gorringes (Hautapu district) hold a total area of 3932 acres amongst four persons (average 983 acres), 3252 acres being freehold and GBO acres leasehold. This cannot, I think, be considered a very glaring case of aggregation, although there is, of course, nothing to prevent it developing into such unless more stringent legislation is passed. "The cases of the Stuckeys (Hautapu) and tho Masons (Hautapu) do not call for any special remark, even tip-editor of the Mangaweka "Settler" admitting that the areas aggregated were only sufficiently largo to provide a comfortable living, and that tho holders were residing on and working the land in a bona-fide. manner. "Certainly Hot." In regard to tho question, "Is the aggregation the result of the jjassing of the Laud Laws Amendment Act, 1912," Mr. Hawthorne says:— "The answer to this is certainly not. All the purchases of the Burlings were made between June, 1883, and May, 1912. Tho Wilsons' acquisitions range from 1901 to 1911, and the Gorringes' trom 190J to 1910. Stuckey's and Mason's acquisitions were also all prior to tho passing of the 1912 Act." As to the area held by tho Gorringo family, Mr. Hawthorne says-. —"I understand from the' Commissioner of Crown Lands that 3932 acres is tho actual area held by the Gorringes as freehold, as revealed by a careful search of the Land Registry Office." Rangitikei Aggregation. Mr. T. N. Broderick, Commissioner of Crown Lands in Wellington, reported to tho-Under-Secretary of Lauds on April V regarding allegations of land aggregation in the Rangitikei district as follows:— To the Under-Secretary of Lands, Wellington : — Sir, —Herewith I forward you a copy of Mr. Lundiu's report on alleged aggregation of land.in-'the vicinity of Mangaweka, from which, coupled with my remarks herein, you .will learn that if any undue aggregation has taken place it has been by' the purchase of freeholds, or converted occupation with right of purchase sections, over which the Land Board had no control at the time tho aggregation took place, I say "if" any unctue aggregation has taken place, because a careful seaich of the titles disclosed that there are many individual owners in each of t"rcs blocks that aro said to be aggregated. For instance, in the Wilson aggregation of G658 acres, there are eight separate owners, named Wilson—Mr. T. 13. Wilson 370 acres, Amy L. 20!) acres, C. G. 14S0 acres, Q. and J. 1605 acres, Geo. H.,482 acres, Robert A. 450 acres, Neil D. 623 acres, and U. C. Wilson, jun., 1111 acres, together with G. H. and N. D. Wilson, education lease, 33G acres, total 6057 acres; Mrs. H. Gorringe, 315 acres, Mrs. M., 177 acres, L. H. R., 1943 acres, and H. E. Gorringo 1487 acres, total 3932 acres; John L. Mason, 593 acres and John Mason (probably the same person), 622 acres. J. L. Mason, education lease 517 acres, total 1732 acres; J. W.' Stuckey, lease in perpetuity 1111 acres. I din sending you scheelules giving full particulars of the search notes from which you will be ablo to follow every detail of the various purchases and transfers and so verify what I have said about them. "I have examined every phase of aggregation in that locality (Mangaweka) so that I think you may fairly rely 011 it that the cases quoted arc tho only ones of any importance. This agitation against aggregation partakes of the nature of crying over spilt milk. It is a recrudescence of a similar one that led to the restrictions of Part 13 cf the Land Act being placed on all titles to land sold after November, 1907, but as all the land near Mangaweka was alienated pricT to 1900 thero is no power in law to check tho Aggregation of it. Large areas held in the O.R.P. tenuro near Mangaweka can bp made freehold and aggregated at any time the owners choose to .sell." Mr. Brcderick declares that it is extremely difficult to conceive any law that would restrict all undue aggregation by individuals and families without it being too restrictive and irksome. He suggests, however, that the area of converted lease in perpetuity land that may bo told-by one person in tho vicinity of towns should not exceed 300 acres without the Minsiter's consent, or as an alternative that this consent must be obtained unless the land is sold to a landless person.