THE LAND Bill.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 19 October 1907, Page 2

THE LAND Bill.

ALMOST IHROUGH THE LOWER house. _ SPLENDID PROGRESS. I'cr Press Association. Wellington, Friday. Tin' debute wa* continued alter rnidnigjii. ill-. Alt-Nab moved an addition to sub■Luue 7 to provide that tiie subsidiary roll should only be available for Land , purposes. This was agreed to on ,he voces, Clause OS as amended was pa-is-L'i!. Clauses OT to <» (iu#<Uaier;•lames) were passed unamended. Progress was reported and the House rose at 1 o'clock. Wellington, Last Night. On resuming at 7.30, the House went into committee on the Land Laws Amendment Bill.

TRANSFER OF OTHER LEASES. Clause 75 provides tint m the ease of ail lease of any education reserve oi endowment granted before or aftci passing this Act, no transfer, sub-lcasc, or mortgage, shall be valid unless the written consent of the Commissioner.-! has been obtained." X«e clause passed ou the voices. I.« This clause ends the original Bui, and the Minister proceeded to introduce seventeen new clauses. NEW CLAUSESClause ISa, introduced by Mr MeNab, provided mat tiie holder of a lease unucr the Muting Districts Land Occupation Act, 181)4, may obiain a Renewable Lease provided the approval of tlic wai'deii is obtained ! Mr Massey urged tliat a. tenant under this section, if be originally held a freehold option, should not be required to make a declaration in regard to the extent of his holding when making a conversion to Renewable Lease. Mr McNab said lie was willing to accept an amendment to this eil'ect, but added it could be more appropriately embodied in clause 76, wliicll provides that all land wlncli, after the passing of this Act, is alienated by the Crown in fee simple, whether under the provisions of section 19 of this Act or otherwise, shall at all times after sucli alienation be and remain Subject to this part of the Act, This was agreed to on the voices.

Mr MeNab then at the request of Mr Massey, moved the following new sub-clause: —"For the purposes of this Act, land held under occupation with right of purchase shall not he deemed to be part of this Act, notwithstanding that the right of purchase has not been exercised." This passed On the voices. Clause 77 provides that it shall not bo lawful for any person to acquire any interest in land subject to this part of the Act if such land) together With any other land owned or held by him severally or jointly or in common with any other person, exceeds a total area of 6000 acres, calculated according to section 55 of this Act.—Passed on the voices.

Clause 78 provides that no registration or transfer of land which is subject to this Act shall be made unless a statutory declaration accompanies the instrument of disposition.—Passed on the voices. • ,

Clause 79 provides that if any person acquires an interest in land in breach of this Act, the Supreme Court may under within twelve months o£ the 'date of an order granted in any suit against him by the Crown., to divest h.msolf of interest so applied. Clause 80 provides that in default of obeying a Supreme Court order, a person shall be liable to a penalty equal to one-half of the value ot tlie interest he so acquired m brcacfi ol the Act. Clause 81 provides that no disposition of any land and no agreement of any such disposition shall be invalid merely because such disposition is contrary to the Act.

Clause 82 provides that a memorandum stating all dispositions of land included in every certificate of title issued in respect of land subject to this part of the Act shall be written on such title.

Clause 83 provides that nothing in this Act shall apply to (a) the acquisition of any interest by way ot mortgage or otlicr security; '(b) the acquisition of any interest by a trustee, executor, or administrator as such; (c) any interest acquired in trust for any religious, educational, charitable, or pub.ic purpose.

All the above were agreed to on the voices.

A new clause, 73a, provides that the expenses payable out of Land for Settlement account shall include the expenses of adnunisration of Lands for Settlement land after the leasing thereof, including the collection of rents and inspection. Clause 730 authorises the Minister to ,expend money; from Land for Settlemem account for improving, loading, mauling or otherwise benefiting or protecting Settlement Lands, but tuch money shall nut be deemed expended unless appropriated by Parliament for the purpose.

| Clause U3a provides that pastoral lands acquired under the principal Act and not suitable for close settlement may be disposed of by way of Kenewaule Lease. i. Wd All tilese clauses passed unamended. Clause 50 provides that the Board may with the approval of the Minister, on the opening of any land for public selection, set apart certain allotments in respect of which preference at any ballot shall be given to applicants who ait landless within the meaning of secion 48 °f this Act, and who &dong to With r ,m mg eS (£l) married ■en •?' ( } ™ dowe « with childiep, (c) widows with children, (d) ma iled Women with children and juiii•ULTV>l C , d llom thek llU9bai "!s; 21 " »* *<«»* , a " sna " one marble nut in f„, sar-sannrfi Tfisswsavia menu to provide that not more thin one : thii'd of such allotments shall be i« tho clauS tUe PUri>oSeS

Mr Fisher urged that Dreferennn child e„ a^Tw/ iVCII *° C ° Uplos witho,lt voieos! a S on eIa J uL T t a inTti nioVfi<l an clause that the word '(children" in this ago! mCaM cWMI ' Cn Mder " )"ears of to^a^Th" 1 ? 1 ne S ati ™<! I'r 43 i>y 52 to 12! aus ° aa ainMlded n.ar a 3h 5 ?? I,rOVMe3 tl,at t,le Board "ot -iZr! „, api ™ val of tl,e Minister, • _t apart certain allotments in respect of which preference at any ballot shall be given to applicants who are landless ? meaning of the Act, anil have within the previous two years crimp-ted at least twice Unsuccessfully it a <:y other land ballot—The clause passed unamended. A number of machinery Slauses were adopted, and at midnight the committee had got back to clause 18a, with which the proceeding opened. The. clause was passed, and Mr Mc.Nab introduced another now clause Jiroviding for Hie election of Land Boards and the constitution of the same. The clause provides for one member of the Board being elected bv Crown tenants. (Loft Sitting)',