LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 256, 4 December 1909, Page 6

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT.

HOME FARMS FOR WORKERS. AMENDMENT OF IHB EXISTING SYSTEM. To bring the land for settlements scheme under the scope of the State Guaranteed Advances Bill, a measure en[titled the Land for Settlements AdI ministration lii'l hus been introduced, lit seeks also to amend the original Act |so as to bring it into line with the ' Government's proposals that the limit of land held by one person shall be 400 acres of first-class quality, 1000 acres of second-class, and 2500 acres of thirdI class land.

The right of selection by the owner of an acquired estate is amended by providing that the area so leased shall not exceed the prescribed maximum unless the retained area contains a homestead. The provisions of the principal Act giving power to grant leases to employees in certain cases without competition shall only apply where Ue person employed by the late owner of the land was employed on the land w'icn it was acquired, and had been continuously so employed for at least live years.

HOME FARMS FOR WORKERS. In order to give greater facilities for establishing homes and home farms lor workers, the Bill provides that land may be compulsorily taken within any borough having a population of not less than live thousand inhabitants, or any town district having a population of not less than one thousand inhabitants', according to the latest census returns, or within a radius of twenty miles from the boundary of such borough or two district, subject, however, to a provision that the owner shall have the right to select any retain out of the whole estate any area not exceeding four acres if such area is within a borough oij town district, or ten acres in any other case. . I These lands may be set apart for the purposes of the Workers' Dwellings Act, 1908, or leased on the renewable lease system to workers. Subject to the Minister's approval, the board shall classify the land into urban, suburban, and rural allotments in areas not exceeding half an acre for an urban, livo acres for a suburban, and ten acres for a rural allotment. THE SUBSIDIARY ROLL.

Under the last Land Act provision was made under which owners of large estates wlio feared that advantage would be taken of the power to acquire their lands compulsorily at the Government valuation plus a fixed percentage could apply to have their valuations increased. The new Bill provides that these increased valuations shall cease to have effect upon the subdivision of the land tjje giving of twelve months' notice i>y the owner, or the revision of tho district valuation roll.