The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1927. AMENDING THE LAND LAWS.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 October 1927, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1927. AMENDING THE LAND LAWS.

I A Bill to amend the Land Laws I Amendment Act, 192-1 was introduced I in the House of Representatives this I week by the Prime Minister, in the I absence of the Hon Mr McLeod, who I was absent owing to illness. The Bill I seeks to overcome a difficulty that has I hitherto existed in disposing of the I land contained in streets and roads I which may lie closed by making it pos- ' sible to adjoining owners to become ' entitled to possession. Rangers of Crown lands are in future to be called field inspectors. The provisions in the Land Act, 1924 relating to the 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 be obtained before any appointment is made. As the law now stands, lessees and licensee of lands held under the Village 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 the 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 the disposal by Land Boards of lands classified as town, suburban, or village lands, are proposal to restrict to two the number of allotments which may be acquired by one person on deferred payment, and it is laid down that the sections must be 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 the recommendation of the Board, and the approval of the Minister. The restriction imposed in the Act, 1924, which prohibits Crown tenants from applying for a revaluation of their lands within throe years from the commencement of their leases or licenses or after six years, is to be partially removed, while the right 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 be made to a Board consisting of the Under-Secre-tary for Lands, the Valuer-General and Land Purchase 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 purposes. The right of licensees to occupy Crown lands with the right of purchase is to he extended until 1930 instead of expiring this year! Provision is also made” in the .Bill for -adding to the price of Crown lands for disposal the post on subdivision and publio itn*

provements 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 bo 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 or part of the interest 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 ho extended to sqldiers holding land under the Act of 1917.