LAND ADMINISTRATION INCONSISTENCY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 3, 9 November 1906, Page 3

LAND ADMINISTRATION INCONSISTENCY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Can you, or any of your readers, explain how a Government, whose Minister for Lands brings down a bill, the main feature of which is to do away with a freehold, sanctions the absolute sale of a few sections (8), a matter of about fourteen acres? I am referring to the Te Kuiti Village Settlement, that is to be sold on the 23rd inst. Sir, as you and many of your readers must know, to acquire a freehold near to Te Kuiti, has hitherto been impossible. Why, then, should the authorities let it be possible for any one man who has command of the necessary, to buy the whole lot of these sections, and if he likes, tie them up until the time comes when he can sell them by the foot, thus debarring persons from getting a. desirable site for a home? There are those whose occupation compells them to reside here; and if they want to put up a place to live in within easy distance of the railway station or postoffice, must at present buy from those few who have sections in the township, that they do not need; perhaps pay as much for the. good-will as would go a long way towards buying one of those sections over the river, presuming they went at a fair- price. But why not treat the remainder of these sections on the same.lines as before? No one person could.hold more than one, and, if the conditions were fulfilled, had to reside on it after a period of six months. For reasons best known'to the Board, they have not in every case insisted upon the fulfilment of the latter clause. At present, I believe that every remaining section would be taken up, and there would be no difficulty about ; the residential clause.—l amj etc., RESIDENT.