THE LAND BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1920, Page 1

THE LAND BILL

•A CORRECTED CLAUSE. (Our Parliamentary Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 18. The Land Bill proposes to amend the law relating to exchanges of national endowment land for other land. The Land. Act, 1912 provides! that national endowment land might be exchanged for other land of approximately equal value for* cash payment by way of equality of exchange, hot to exceed 25 per cent, of the value of endowment land. Section 17 of the Bill proposes to omit reference to “Approximately equal value”- and to permit payment of “any sum by way of equality of exchange.” The Land Laws Amendment Act of lOifl made provision for a remission of rent iri case of disabled soldiers up to six months after discharge from the forces. The Bill proposes to extend the provision in case of leases of licensees who may be wholly or partially disabled by reason of their military service. The clause of the Bill dealing with order of preference at ballots under the Land Act was misunderstood when the Bill was introduced on Friday night. T?ie four classes of applicants named (1) landless applicants with dependent children; (2) landless applicants who have been twice unsuccessful at ballots; (3) applicants who served overseas with the Expeditionary Force; (4) applicants who served overseas with other forces, are to have preference equally over all other classes of applicants. It appears that the four groups are to meet on equal terms at the ballot.