LAND COMMISSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1508, 17 July 1905, Page 1

LAND COMMISSION.

Tho following are additional subjeo's dealt with in tho Land Commission's report : RESIDENCE CONDITION?. The Commission : ecommends that tho residence conditions should not be enforced until roaeonablo road access is provided; but that wbßn such access is provided residence should be strictly enforced, except where sufficient cause for its relaxation con bo shown. When country settlers, under any time in bona fide occupation of and residence upon tbeir holdings, t'ake up Crown land, there appears to be no sound reasons for enforcing residence on the latter, and it is recommended that residence on either ho'diog shall count as residence on both. The residence condi-

tions have amply proved that (hoy are. tho surest safeguard against speculation and dummyism, and that when reasonable road access is provided the bona fide settler seldom finds those conditions irksome or impracticable. PRESENT BALLOT SYSTEM.

As to the wotking of the present ballot system and the dealing with applications (or lands, notwithctsnding some objections, your Commission is forced t > the conclusion that when there 13 more than one application for a section, eomo form of ballot is she fairest mode of determining who shall bsoome tho bolder. \Ye disapprove of the present system of grouping and the second ballot, which often oanses applicants to take a soctiou they do not went, and also prevents many desirable settlers from applyine at all. We would recommend a Byetem similar to that described by Mr G, Humphries in hi 9 evidence before the Commission of grouping sections in oooovdaoce with the means required for Bucoeasful occupation, applicants to apply only in the groups to whiob their means entitle them; that a ballot be taken for the first ohoioe ot any section in the group, and the ballot thus continued unliljall the sections are disposed of. Any applicant may withdraw any time before or during or before the drawing of the ballot, and his deposit bp returned, sq that ho should not be compelled to remain at, the ballot after the section he would have

liked has been drawn. Any .BecSions Dot disposed of in the la-t drawing of the ballot to be re offered at an early dote to be fixed by the Land Board. All applicants for a ballot of Crown lands to bo examined as to their suitability and bona files. That the limitation of area to be held by a married womon, 320 acres, be withdrawn, thus making the plea for a married woman the same for a single woman, or any other applioant, provided that only the wife : or husband (but not each) may hold any section up to the area of the present limit, and the means of husband or wife may be calculated ns possessed by both for the purpose of applying for a section. Any person disposing of bis interest in any sectlan to bo ineligible for any otfi.er ballot for a term of at least three years, except for causes that the Board in its deem satisfactory.” •

LOADING FOR ROAD The report went on toSilfetYau Y-'iae length to the loading of lands for road purposes. Tbo Commission thought the present State methods of roading required fundamental change. The opinion has been freely expressed that tne roading question is equal in importance with the tenure question. It is held that unless land is provided with transit facilities for tho bringing in of tbe requirements of settlement work and tho removal of produce, it cannot, from a settlement and a produoe standpoint, be considered to bave full value. It is eloarlv lgid down that the settlement value of tbe remaining

Crown lands is |hb va’ue of thoao lands roaded, that "roading sbquld be prior to ov coincident witfi settlement. ’ CONDITION OF STATE TENANTS. After dealing at length with the ques. tion of borrowing on Crown lands, tbe report went on to speak of tbe condition of State tenants throughout the colony, which was described as progressive and satisfactory. General prosperity amongst settlers throughout tiie* districts visited. Scmo disabilities existed which tbe Government could do something to remove.