LAND LEGISLATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8, 10 September 1913, Page 2

LAND LEGISLATION.

. ♦ , GOVERNMENT'S INTENTIONS. [Pee Press (Association.] Wellington, September 9, The Land Bill was introduced in lie House of Representatives to-night •y Governor's Message and read a first time. The Prime Minister referred to some if the more important clauses of the 3UI. He said that it provided greater facilities for a settler to obtain a reSate of rent and for re-valuation of blocks which had been too highly ariced, and rents reduced accordingly. Another proposal was to allow oeople to take up lend which they "•ould not occiipy at present on condition that they effected a double imotmt of improvements, usually required. Power was also given to occupiers if pastoral leases in the Hauraki Plains district, but it was also made lear that land could be resumed by the Crown if minerals were recovered. The terms under which owners of viewable leases could acquire was >xteiu>d to nineteen years.

As +o taking private lands for uettleraent, the Government could inform m owner that his land was required, uid within six months ap owner could either himself sub-divide the land, agree Lhat the Government should sub-divide- it, or the land could Cif neither such course was adopted) be taken compulsorily. Regarding the aggregation of pri-vately-owned land, ho said acquisition would be deemed to be aggregation when a person acquired laud who was already an owner of land. Any ?uch purchase would be reported oti by the Land Purchase Commissioners, and if the Board paid that it was required for public ust, it would bo acquired by the Crown. He believed that when the Bill recbed the Statute Book it would be found to bo a very useful measure.