The Manawatu Standard. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. MONDAY, AUGUST 6,1883. ABSENTEES' LAND.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 4, Issue 206, 6 August 1883, Page 2

Manawatu Standard. (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite. MONDAY, AUGUST 6, 1883. ABSENTEES' LAND.

We quote from the New Zealand Herald the following particulars :— " II a person owns an allotment of land, and adjoining there is another owned by an absentee, the rates of which have been paid for the lait fc*n yeare by tiie owner of first named allotment, is there any statute m force by which the persons paying the rates can lay claim to the land, the owner nob being known, and the rates having been punctually paid for the time aboya stated ? "—The laws are framed upon just principles, and are not designed to aid unscrupulous robs beries. The suggestion- m the above question is quite immoral. No one has a right to try to get au v of air advan« tage of another, and it Is still worse to conceire (he idea of obtaining unlawful possession of the property "of another, during his temporary absence from the place where the property is situated. If anyone chose to pay the rates on a piece of unoccupied property, it is not likely he would have done bo, unless the use of it for the time being; were more than an equivalent for the money he paid. Baf to think that the payment of rates for any number of years, without the consent of the lawful owner, would give a good title to the property ia truly a lesson m sharp practice. The owner, though not m the district where the prop rty is situated, may be m another part of the colony, and tbus witbiu the jurisdiction of our law oourts. If he is Absent from the oolooy, it is probable he

has left a represeutativa behind him, or appointed an agent to look after his interests. In the event of neither of these steps having been taken, the Public Trustee is the person to whom the lawful management of the absentee's estate belongs. He will pay rate 3to the Road Board or local body, as they become due, and will take such steps m tespect to the utilisation of the property as he may thick best.