THE LAND LAWS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 63, 9 December 1918, Page 4

THE LAND LAWS

AMENDED METHOD OF PURCHASE. Tho Land Laws Amendment Bill, introduced shortly ■ before the House rose on Saturday- night, provides for the abolition of the Auokland land district and tho constitution of two new land districts. It is provided that there shall 'be a prinoipal land office for each of tho now districts, but that these offloes may be either within or outsido tho districts for which they are established. All officers holding positions in the present Auckland land district aire, for tho time being, to hold corresponding positions in the new land district comprising tho southern portion of tho old district. Tho ohange is to ho mado by Order-in-Council.

The Bill also proposes to repeal subsection 7 of seotion 05 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1813, ■ referring to the compensation to be paid for land taken by the Crown to prevent aggregation. I" futu.ro it is proposed that, instead of tlio compensation not exceeding the purchase money paid, or agreed txi be paid, for the land by the owner who acquired it by way of aggregation, it shall not exceed the. capital value as recorded in tho district valuation roll at tho time of its acquisition by tho purchaser, plus 10 per cent. If tho land acquired in aggregation is part only of an estate and no separation value lias been recorded, the compensation is to bo tho sum fixed by tho Valuer-General by way of special valuation. Tho old provision that, in the case of land acquired otherwise than by purchase, the compensation is not to exceed the sum at which it was assessed for stamp duty, is to stand. The Bill also increases from lw, to 20s. tho daily allowance to members of land boards.