LAND RESUMPTION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 43, 15 November 1918, Page 8

LAND RESUMPTION

CLOSER SETTLEMENT IN NEW SOUTH WALES •' / - v ■y ■'.'■'■ THE NEW BILL . An interesting review of the result of closer .'settlement operations was given recently by the Minister of Lands (Mr. , Ashford), who also dealt with the mam provisions of' (he. Closer .Settlement Amendment Bill now before Parliament. The Bill contains some novel provisions of vital interest to the man 911 the land. Mr. Ashford said that, during last financial year-31 estates ftwere ecquired. The. area was 116,4-00 acres, the number of farms 233, and the average area 489 acres. The total 'purchase money was ■£575,000, and the average price per acre M 18s. 9d.. which was practically £2 per acre more than in 1907. The average'price per farm to-day was,£24l6, as against .£1319 in 1907.. • The average area of tne larms ,to ; duy was 4&t, as ugamst.-412 acres. 11.1:19U7. . The tu;al resumptions uiiuer the Ueser Settlement Ac* auu tne i'romotion'jict were as f0110w:—295 estates of an area ■ 0r , '1,9T5,6W) ■ acres ' were •■purchased' at a cost, 'of A'(i,i92,Soo. ' There.were. 'n0w,2707 iarms in 'occupation, -aiidli)79 set apart, VXI of the latter being for returned soldiers. . • With regard to payments due by settles, the Minister said he ,iad ascertained that:— • . - 1. The instalments postponed to end ■of term (say'-38 o(- 39 years) amounted to a£278,90i1. or lli per cent, of the total. 2. The instalments extended'for short periods (up to five years) amounted to Ji21,000, or 10 per cent. 3. Instalments; 111 arrear amounted to .£163,800, or 9 per cent. •In connection With these arrears, wheat certificates worth .43000 are helc by the Department. Many settlers hat lajge sums due to them from the "Wheat and Wool Pools. It. was confidently expected that atVlenst ,£20,000 will be paid off the arrears by December,; 1918. Of the total numher cf settlers 1834 (68, per cent.) owed no arrears; 03 (IT , per cent.) were in arrear for one instalment; 263 (10 per cent.) were in arrea for two instalments;'lll (1 per cent.) were in arrear for three instalments. ' Only 4i> (I per cent:) were in arrears for four years or over. ■ Thfc presenWay ' cost of resumptions, was certainly .very striking when it is remembered tliht the first three estatv acquired cost ,£2- 19s. 7d. per acre, as £i 18s. B<l. wr ncre lart year. , Mr. Ashford added: "As to how far this can be allowed to proceed without pome special legislation is .p. matter wjiicl> ' has given me eonsideraUe. anxiety, J I'.may pwhaps have to rec>mrn»"d at. no diphiit dnt- Hnt some Bpccial action I shall be taken." ' Provisions of Now Bill. ;

-■.Explaining, tnu provisions ■"or tne Bill How' uuiore r'ariiuhieiii, jut. Asiiii-ru &a»a iliac ll! wouiu rupeui fno ouiiu:uient i'ronnj'aon acc, wniuu wuj imaatu in I'JlOj ana wmwi iiruvKied UHit uiree uv mure settlers comu negbtiaie wiu a private. ownur ana siibnut to we uown ugreements'to purchase. Jiider. that Act ■uiao triu uwnt'j- was puitl oft By tne Uovernmeiit tSanngs jianK, wiiicu auvaned.l 9s pur cent. bl the purtiiate money. Tne bant ' toolc a mortgage and Handled the- iinancinl part 6i tne bußUiEss, wliiist tlie administrative portion of the work . ii'as carried out by the\ Lands Departmenc. ■The position aH6 M'ose that accuunta were Kept at the Havings Bank in connection with Promotion Act. cases, whilst accounts .in connection '.with, ordinary settlement purchases were .kept at /the '.Treasury. Tiie're is-a lack of uniformity, ■which is uneatisia'ctory. The,Bill he l.nd introduced ■provided flat in,every respect, these settlers would be placed on the same tootiug as ordinary'.settlement purchasers. Jlortgages to'the commissioners would be dispensed ' with,' all accounts would be ;kept-.at the '.treasury.-and administrative- work.would be done in the Lands Department. The Savings Bank Commissioners would still assist' in the. valuation of estates, aud would provide the money by purchasing debentures. But instead of having to advance .sums for each and every purchase, would advance the'available money in iv lump sum for the purchase ■of suitable estates, -c's and when the Grown desired. The residence condition at present was ten years. Last year, .Parliament redu»'ed the residence condition, under the Crown Lyids .Acts, to five years. It was proposed to make a'tiiniliu , reduction in the ■residence tariri on'dl-settlement purchases, no'matter whether/ applied fior before or after the .Bill had. passed. : Private Transactions. "Another important provision," tho Minister continued, 'is that, which will enable purchasers, from private vendors to briiijf —theiv prupc-rtiui 'under tou Closer Sottlem-jut Acts.' '.;.. '■'It has come to my ■ notice ■. that a number of deserving settlers' who have bought on terms from pnv'nte Vendors are unduiy hampered-by , -the-terms of their contracts, jnd.it .would be to the advantage of tns State if such men v were allowed to come in , as settlement „purchasers. . ' . ■.'. ; . :

"This provision will only «ipply wnere the men have paid off at leaat 2U pel centJof the piiKha'semoney,'and in no case-'will the amount vhich the Crown .■\vill:'pay "■exceed the . mount• 'owing to the' private vendor.'. .The will only apply also to existing contracts at the <ijive of this ..Act. ■ "The existing ],rovisio;is of the Closer Settlement Acts for postponement of payments- itra feuuibcrsothe and involved. They do not meet all cases, nor do they go far enough- in'deserving ca=es. The new..provisions are:-'- ...

(1) If the settler il«ires to escape payment of neavy i. staliiients of purchase money -('uring the early days \>P his purchase, lie may apply for nermisiion to pay interest uii.ly, Prnetieaily it frill'jiive'hnii the benefit of a leasehold tiniire, wjth the right to resume the payment of his instalments ami the Lonscriuent reduction of his purchase money, when he is in a position to do so. (2) If he finds lie cannot even pay the interest, he will be able to yet postponement of that 'payment.