CROWN TENANTS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 153, 16 July 1937, Page 7

CROWN TENANTS

-PresB Asaoeiation.)

Adjustment of Rentals and Otber Debts POLICY DEFENDED

(By Teleeraph-

WELLINGTON, This Day. The action he had taken to safeguard the position of Crown tenants requiring relief from their difficulties by way of adjustments in rental charges and other debts was defended by the Minister of Lands, Hon. F. Langstone, in an interview last evening). To avoid unnecessary dhplication, he said, consideration of applicatious for revaluation had been postponed until after the receipt of those for relief under the mdrtgage rehabilitation legislation passed' at the last session of Parliament. Any Crown settler who had not lodged an application under the legislation could apply for a revaluation and have it dealt with without delay. Reference was made by Mr. Langstone to Timaru criticism stating that the revaluation of Crown lands with a view to rental reduction -was a problem of special urgeney and that the Crown tenants were looking to the Minister of Lands for a move. fIt is a wellknown fact," said Mr. Langstone, "that for the period 1933-35, the rigjht of revaluation provided in the Land Act, as suspended bv the previous Administration^ and that in the latter year, just prior to the general electioii, which gave an overwhelming mandate to the. present Government, it .. was resuscitated and the revaluation committees required by the legislation were immediately appointed. "But it is also a well-known fact that as soon as the present Governin^nt assumed offige if investigated the position of the farmer and other classes of mortgagor, and enacted the Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act, which provided nofc only for an adjustment of rents but also of mortgagjes and all other property charges. Therefore those Crown tenants who were in difficulty would naturaliy lodge applications under the new legislation, and thus have the whole of their charges reviewed and adjusted. "To have a revaluation commifctte operating in respect of rental charges only, and an adjustment comifiission considering all charges, woiild result in unnecessary duplication. Consequently l agreed to po&tpone- consideration of applications for revaluation under tlie Land Act until after ihe close of the receipt of applications imder the Mortgngors and Lessees Rehabilitation Act. Any unbiassed person will agree that such an arrangemeut was dictated by common sense. "The position at the moment is that any Crown tenant who has not lodged an application under the adjustment legislation may apply for .a revaluatiou under the Land Act and have it considered without delay. i admit that to withhold from the Crown tenants for so long a period the right of revaluation was not in tbe interests of the settlers, but, as I have already explained, the responsibility for that position must lie with the previous Administration . "Delays are irksome and annoying, but in the circumstances I have referred to, no other course could have been followed but to leave the adjustments to thq commissions appointed under the new legislation. In cases where the Crown only is concerned with the charges on the property, an apporfcunity is being g^ven to the settler to agree' to a voluntary adjustment, and already this has resulted in the withdrawal of a number of applications under the Mortgagors and Lessees Rehabilitation Aet." Mr, Langstone said the criticism published in Timaru had referred to his pamphlct, "The First Step," and particulafly to his advocacy of guaranteed prices, an exchange tax and the provision of money,. "I stand foursquare by everything appearing in that pampblet," said the Minister, Vbut apparently the Government is expected by some people to solve in one short Bession of Parliament the difficulties and problems which have accumulated during many years of faulty administration."