Crown Leases to be Available for Settling Ex-Servicemen

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1948, Page 8

Crown Leases to be Available for Settling Ex-Servicemen

WELLINGTON, Sept. 16.

Authority for Crown Land held under lease or license to be taken for the settlement of discharged servicemen is contained in the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Amendment Bill, which was read the first time in the House of Representatives. The Minister of Lands, Hon. C. F. Skinner, said that the Bill applied Section 51 of the principal Act to these lands. It had applied for long time to single unit Crown leases; but had not previously been written into the Act, and tliat was now being done. The Minister added tlu-it the Bill also made Fart 111 of the Act applicable to buildings on mining leases. Previously it was not necessary to refer those transaction to Land Sales Committees. The Bill also made it clear that family transactions were not interfered with in any way under Section 51. The Bill allowed mortgages as well as trustees to apply to the Court for a provisional valuation. Another clause in the Bill states that when money advanced on mortgage is repaid when land is taken, the mortgagor shall cease to be liable to the mortgagee for the payment of any further interest on the principal money so repaid.

Mr Holland asked if the Bill would include amendments many people had been waiting for—to give returned servicemen easier access to properties they were seeking, and to remove an anomaly whereby those who were obliged to sell land at 1942 values had to replace it if they wanted another at 1948 prices. Mr Skinner replied that the Bill, which provided only minor amendments did not include those suggested by the Leader of the Opposition, ethew s-rcqtn gY£|.