Married Women as Land-Owners.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 229, 2 February 1894, Page 3

Married Women as LandOwners.

(per press associaiok.) Dunedin, January 31. At a meeting of the Land Board today, the Crown Solicitor gave an opinion on the point raised as to the area of land a married woman might apply for nnder the Land Act 1892. He stated that a married woman could only become the owner, licensee or lessee, under parts 3, 4 or 5 of the Land Act, 1892, of 320 acre. of the first-class land or of 1000 acres of second-class land ; but that she might be an applicant for 2000 acres of binds inclusive of not more than 640 acres of first class land. He did not think that the law would have been left so had the attention of the Legislature been directed to the point, but there was Dothing in either sections 62 or 93 to exclude married women from being applicants up to 2000 acres. Tho third paragraph of section 93 was not amended by sub-clause 11 of section Sof the Land Act Amendment Act, 1893, although it was no doubt the intention to amend it by substituting the word " selector " which has a defined interpretation, for (he word "' owner" which has not. He did not think, however, that it mattered so far as regarded the decision of the present point, as the intention of section 93 clearly was that a married woman might acquire any title contemplated by parts 3, 4, and 5 of the Act to 326 acres of first-cia-?s land, or 1000 acres of second class land ; and if she might acquire a title she might make application and do everything else neces sary to be done, as preliminary to the acquisition of such a title as she desired to obtain. _________^_