THE LAND LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1920, Page 4

THE LAND LAW.

PREFERENCE AT THE BALLOT. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary ReparUr.) Wellington, Last Night. The I.rind Bill proposes tu amend the law relating to exchanges of national endowment land for other land. The Land Act of 1912 provided that national endowment land might be exchanged for other land of approximately equal value the cash payment by way of equality or exchange not to exceed 25 per cent, of the value of the endowment land. Section 17 of the Bill proposes to omit the reference to "approximately equal value," and to remove the limit from tho sum paid by way of equality of exchange. The Land Laws Amendment Act of 1913 made provision for the remission , of rent in the ease of disabled soldier* up to six months after discharge from tile forces, and the Bill proposes to ex* \ tend the provision in the cases of lessees f or licensees who may be wholly or > partiall ydisabled by reason of their military service. * i '1 no clause of the Bill dealing with the order of preference at ballots under the Land Act, was misunderstood when the 1 Bill was introduced on Friday night. The four classes of applicants named are:— (!) Landless applicants with dependent children; (2) landless applicants who have been twice unsuccessful at ballots; '' (.1) applicants who served overseas with: . Hie expeditionary force; and (4) applicants who served overseas with other forces and were bona fide residents of New Zealand before the war. These are to have preference equally over all other ' classes of applicants. It appears that the tour groups are to meet on equal terms at the ballot.