LAND LAWS

Hokitika Guardian, 5 October 1927, Page 1

LAND LAWS

AN AMENDING BILL. WELLINGTON, Oct, 3. A Hill to amend the Land Laws Amendment Act. 1924, was introduced in the House of Representatives tonight by the Prime Minister, in the absence of the Hon Afr AlcLeod. who was absent owing to illness.

Tho Bill seeks to overcome a. ditfi- | cully that lias hitherto existed in disposing of the land contained in streets and roads which may he closed by making it possible to adjoining owners to become entitled to possession. Bangers of Crown lands arc in future to he called field inspectors. The provisions in the Land Act. ' 1921, relating to tho submission of disputes to arbitration are extended by making it mandatory for arbitrators when they decide to exercise their rights to appoint an umpire, to select a Magistrate, the concurrence of the Minister for Justice to ho obtained before any appointment is made. As the law .now stands, lessees and licensees of lands hold under the Tiling settlement of the 1924 Act, pastoral lands and lands the subject of mortgages under the State Advances Act, 1913, and the Discharged Soldiers Act, 1915, are exempted from the restriction on the assignment of their interest within twelve months. The amendment proposes to extend this exemption to all lands flic subject of mortgages made by or on behalf of the Crown or any Department of State. Another amendment makes renewed leases subject to the encumbrances on the expiring leases. Among machinery amendments relating to tho disposal liy Land Boards „ of lands classified as town, suburban, or village lands, are proposals to restrict to two the number of allotments which may ho acquired by one person on deferred (payment, and it is laid down that the sections must he contiguous. Interest in such sections is not to be transferred before the completion of the purchase or the expiration of ten years from the date of the license, whichever is the lesser, except on tho recommendation of the Board and the approval of the Minister.

GROWN TENANTS. The restriction imposed in the Act, 1924, which prohibits Crown tenants from applying for a revaluation of their lands within three years from the commencement of their leases or licenses or after six years, is to be partially removed, while the light to apply for a revaluation is to be extended to cover the holders of land under the various Land Acts now in existence. A notable addition in this respect is that lands purchased on deferred payment may be revalued, any reduction which is made to be with respect to the purchase price and not with regard to the rate of interest. Application for the right, to exercise the privilege of having a revaluation made within, three years or after six years is to lx? made to a Board consisting of the Under-Secretary for Lands, the Valuer-General, and Land rurcha.se Inspector. The Bill seeks the repeal of the clause which makes it compulsory to pay into the National Endowment Trust Account the value of any inferior lands which are taken from the national endowments for special settlement purpose. The right of licensees to occupy Crown lands with the right of purchase is to be extended until 1930 instead of expiring thi> year.

Provision is also made in the Bill for adding to the price of Crown lands for disposal the cost on subdivision and public improvements carried out by the Government before the land is offered for sale. Several amendments are also made in the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Acts. Authority is to be given for the remission of rent in the case of land disposed of to a discharged soldier, but which is now held by some other person. Land Boards, with the consent of the Minister, are to be empowered to remit in cases of hardship the whole are part of the interests payable by discharged soldiers with respect to their mortgages on land held under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1917. The benefits of the Deteriorated Lands Act, 1925, are also to be extended to soldiers holding land under the Act of 1917.