King Country Chronicle Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1911. FAMILY SETTLEMENT BILL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 418, 29 November 1911, Page 4

King Country Chronicle Wednesday, Nov. 29, 1911. FAMILY SETTLEMENT BILL.

Thai lb: 1 jt!vi:ri)t. r.overnment, arc being made fuliy ;i\v:irc df (lie or;tro.me difficulty of supplant in;:; fho freehold tenure in l';svmir of any ionn of leasehold is plainly indicated by 'he trend of tin l Family Sei (.lenient, Kill which was introduce.! into Parliament durinj* last The Bilk as far as if treat? of lam! lonur" is, practically a reversion to the oh! deferred payment system a:>;] r.rsures the freehold to the people under reasonable conditions. The Mill may he described as anextenison oft/ho. Lam! Sett,lenient: Finance Ac'.which makes provision lor land-hungry men to en-operate for the purchase of kinds which c:ui he transferred to the Crown, and disposed of under the deferred payment, system. As regards (he owner of the land so taken the purchase money would he secured to him hy the issue under the Land for Settlement, Act. of ■! per cent, debentures. On | ayment; of U per cent, of the purchn.-n money th" purchaser of any section would he licensed to hold the kind under residential conditions, ami he could secure the freehold by paying the balance of the purchase money after titty five years' tenure. These provisions are practically on the liner- of the pn sent O.K.P. tenure which is widely held to be the best passible form. oC s.*tll in the land inasmuch us the aggn gat ion of area is safeguarded and the speculative elements, as far as. possible is eliminated, in the interests of bona lide settlement. A highly important, feature of the .Bill is the. inclusion of native-owned lands as well a:' Fui-'-pean as being open for compulsory purchase for a purpose indicate.;. As was to be expected such a democrat m and reasonable measure conform in;: to the views of those most intimately affected by tenure condit ions, received support from both sides of the. House and there is every prospect of the measure beim: placed on tile Statute Book during the coming session. With the .Ministerial seal set upon such measures an the Family Settlement, Bill there appears to be good ground for hoping that the battle of tenures will not figure so largely in Parliament as has been the case during recent years. A more futile and hopeless controversy it would be difficult to create, and the devout wish of every settler in the land will be that the issue will he decently interred in the interests of true and progressive settlement.. For t!n 5 principle of the Land Settlement, will then l can he notirng but: commendation. Any measure which briny.:' appreciably closer the settling ol every available acre of land, under reasonable and democratic conditions is undoubtedly in the best interests- of the jlominion as a whole. If is a gratifying foa-

tore moreover, that, the principle is becoming thoroughly recognised by all parties and, as wil mass the support that has already been accorded to the measure under review.