THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1906. LAND TENURE IN THE KING COUNTRY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 6, 30 November 1906, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1906. LAND TENURE IN THE KING COUNTRY.

The sa|e of village sections at Te 1 Kuiti oh Friday last, is a striking ; illustration of the growth of the district since the first opening of the i same block for selection about six • years ago. At that time the various sections were disposed of by ballot, • under both lease and freehold tenure. ; All the sections were then taken up, but the eight which have just been [ sold were afterwards forfeited, and ' have now been purchased under the » hammer; fet an average price of about . f 28 an adre. This is surely a strong inducement for the Government to ; adopt a comprehensive scheme for the ■ purpose qf putting the existing state of things', with regard to township ' on a more satisfactory footing. The township lands are all un- - der Native ownership, and have been cut up info sections arid offered for selection, ■ for terms varying from five to twenty-one years, with re- [ valuation at the end of those periods. ] Even under these conditions, a considerable number of sections have • been taken up, and buildings erected [ thereon. •! The remaining sections ' which are; at all desirable, or to which it is possible to obtain access in winter, have been acquired by people, most of .whom are holding them solely for the purpose of speculation, and who demjaijid prices ranging from £2O upwards|far the transfer of thesame to bona.^ficjeresidents. To say that such . a state 0f things is undesirable, is put*

ting the matter mildly, and the situation must appeal to all, freeholders and leaseholders alike, as something infinitely worse than either Crown lease or absolute freehold. It is a significant fact that although the situation of the village sections held under Crown lease or freehold tenure on the eastern side of the river is less desirable than that of the sections odtainable under Native lease in the township, the former have all been built on and improved, while the latter, although in the business centre of the township, are only used by business people who are forced to take what is offered, in order to pursue their callings. Such a state of things is a menace to the welfare of the district in every respect, and it is- high time the attention of the powers that be, was directed towards it. Speculation is inherent in human nature, but the trend of modern legislation is .to limit gambling with lands within certain lines, especially when it clashes directly with progress. Leasehold tenure is supposed to curb this evil effectually, but in the present instance at least, it has merely opened an easy road for its perpetration in the very worst form. The holders of the sections ar~ ]< r 7 ]y to be blamed for seizing t'.:,: opportunity to speculate, but

a system wl.ich rilov,\ ; -\n evil to creep in cannot be too i\ rndiy condemned. Moreover, it devolves upon all those who h::ve the interests of the district it heart, to unite in demanding a fair r.nd equitable adjustment of the matter i:t the earliest possible moment.