LAND TRANSFER.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1923, Page 3

LAND TRANSFER.

BIG TITLE REVISION. WELLINGTON. July 21. The Land Transfer Act Amendment I!.II. which the ! Ini. Sir 1-raie is Bel! has introduced in the l.egishitive Conned w ill 1 the 01-iect of bringing under lire hied transfer system ail the land titles in New Zealand, involves a very hea'. v pi ogriim iee ol work hv I In- Deeds Registration Depai iment, and it was the original opinion ol the Kcgislrar(loner; I of Land that it would take more than five years to bring all the titles under the simpler system of land tiatisii-r. However, in a memorandum to the Attorney-General, this officer states that it will he pcssihle to complete the work with-it live years, excel t perhaps in the Auckland land district, in which about half the land alleeteil is situated. Tho main difficulties will he til find additional examiners and elerks. and to find room for them in the deeds registration oliices. I hours during w hich the public may inspect. deeds will have to he nt aerially curtailed during the process.

I*.. i„ shown that throughout New Zealand the average proportion, ol titles held under Crown Grant is 18. G per cent., the remaining 81.1 per rent, being held under the modern system ol land transfer. The estimated number of holdings or titles under the old -system is 7().(!0tl, and the number is increasing in spite 1. 1 lands being brought under the Lands Transfer Am at the rate of I |or cent, per annum. It is intended (-ays the Wellington “i'l-st") to have an official examination of-titles made ami put on record and t „ Lsue certificates of title guaranteed except as to the critic defeats which may be found by the examiners to exist. A person searching the title "id thou only l ave to inspect the certificates of title with the Registrar’s minute setting the defects. "To issue Inlly wuaraiiteed titles without requiring surveys." remarks the Registrar, "would !„. to invite numerous claims upon tho assurance fund in eases "hitb abound, especially in towns, where the (loouino tit arc title-holder has lost- his title to part, of the land h.v encroachment and adverse possession ,lf hi " neighbours. eases where the de-miptions of ian-1 in deeds are erroneous.” 1 1 proposed therefore to avail the immediate necessity for surveys by i-suing titles, net to be guaranteed as to me position, area, or boundaries of the lata, until such time as the proprietor (or it nrtv be the adjoining proprietors) shall deposit a survey plan or plans showing what the proprietor is in possession of. •mil the correct measurements. ' Landowners will not he required to do anything or pay anything tor bringing land under the Act, but the Department proposes to make a charge ct Cl 5s tor the first certificate ot time. This will bring in about £IOO.OOO. which is believed to be more than suthcient to cover the cost to the wnutry Payment hv the landowner "ill not he made until’ a dealing is required to be registered, and tile proprietor will usually be saved more than tne special tee bv reason of the lower scale of charges for prewiring instruments under the Land Transfer sVct.