LAND TENURES.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1920, Page 1

LAND TENURES.

ENDOWNMENT RANDS AND

FREEHOD

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Sept. 9

The freehold versus leasehold issua was raised in tihe House ef Representatives on the presentation of a re. port of the Lands Committee. Certain tenants of national Endowment land had petitioned the House for the right to acquire the 'freehold of their sections and the chairman of the Committee (Mr 33. Newman)' reported thfc as the petition involved a question ot policy, it should be dealt with by the Government. He added .that the committee was of opinion that, provided that the proceeds of the sale of the land were invested in Government securities and the revenue reserved for purposes to which the rentals were now applied, the Committee considered that the legislation desired by the petitioners would be in the interests of the Dominion, i The petition, therefors, should be refererd to the Government for favourable consideration. Mr G. Witty (Riccarton) stated that only four members of the Committee had been present when the vote wa* taken and the recommendation had been approved by. three votes to one.. He considered that a large attendants should have been secured before so important a recommendation was made. Ho objected entirely to the National Endowment being turned into private freehold. If this course was to be foiloewd in dealing with the public estate, why should not tenants of educational reserves, church endowments, and even privately owned lands have the right to the freehold. Future generations had an interest in the National Endowment. The tenants had security of tenure and good conditions, and they were seeking the freehold merely in order to traffic with the lands.

Mr Newman indicated that more, than four members of, the committee had been present during the discussion of the Bill, riiblic interest would >e fully protected if the money realised by the sale of the land were invested, since the revenue so secured would actually be greater than the rentals now being received. The petitioners were returned soldiers, who had found that they 'could not' finance their operations owing to the nature of their tenure. Their position would be greatly improved if they had the freehold. Mr Newman mentioned that the area of the national endowments was nob within 05,000 of the statutory limit of 9,000,000 acres. Leasehold members called for a division on the motion that the report should be' referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The motion was adopted by 36 votes to 20, the divison list being as follows: Ayes (36): Bollard ' Coates S' Dickson J- McC. Dickson. Glenn Guthrie J. R. Hamilton A. Hamilton Harris Hawken Henare Merries Hudson Hunter • Jones Gee Lysnar McCallum McNicol Malcolm Massey Masters E. Newman Nosworthy Parr Poland Poinare Potter Powdrell Reid It. H. Rhodes T. W. Rhodes Sykes Young Tellers. Hockley Mander Noes (20): Atmore Forbes Fraser Holland Horn, Howard Isitfc Jennings Kellett Dr Newman Savage Sidey S. G. Smith ‘ Statham Stewart Sullivan Veit ch Wright Tellers. McCombs Witty