LAND LEGISLATION OF THE FUTURE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1531, 30 December 1886, Page 4

LAND LEGISLATION OF THE FUTURE.

Speaking at Oamaru the other night the Hon. John Ballaoce urnde the following remarks explaining the intentions of the Government as to legislation calculated to benefit places which are " hemmed in, thrown back upon themselves, and handicapped, locked up, as by the sea, through the presence of large estates in, their neighborhood. To begin with, they most determine to dojustce to anyone, however inimical his vested ink rests might be to the? common weal, but they should start by assuming that those interests had resulted from the legislation of the past, legitimate in its own time.. But they mast' also recognise the principle that if the peopte needed the land they should take it--that was, on terms equitable lo its present owners. First, then, he thought that in order to meet the necessities of a district like Oamaru, there, should be legi* atiou under which large owners could sell their land through the Government, as was now the case with the natives. Then the same legislation should empower; associations of people to make private bargains with landowners,; the ''\ Government to find three-fourths of Mie purchase money at 5 per cent interest, the associations to find th* ojber four h themselves ; and in that way 'the law should provide f t tbe'taHiig of laud for agricultural purposes on the same' principle ns it is no>v ttikepi for public works. 'As'to'the price, it should he bused on the Property Tax valuation, plus 10 per cent, and,if the owners, to keep the land in their own hands secured excesive valuations, the State would get an immediate increase of revenue, and the associations need not buy in that case. Setting that; contingency ;on one . Bide, however,- there would have to be Land Courts to settle judicially all matter* appertaining to the purchase as they told both for and against both parlies to, the transition. The area to be held by each person would be a matter for consideration, the object being to sett'e .as many, people as possible on the lands of' the country ; but once obtained and surveyed. into sections, the ballot would be used to decide the allotment of sections; and to the extent of three-fourtbß of the prioe the Government would become"the mortgagee at (say) 5 per cent interest, the money to be advanced out of the public trust funds. Preference should be given to married men as settlers under the scheme, facility of transfer should be atr-ply provided for, and no person should be allowed to hold two sections. In the machinery for acquiring the land the Government should be kept out as far as possible, and payment should be made to the owners in cash—two things not provided for in Sir George Grey's Bill. These, then, were the principles of the Bill which the Government had decided to introduce next session. The Legislature, he believed, was ready to admit that something of the kind was now necessary, and he could assure them thit, acting in a spirit of justice to all, no effort of his would be wanting to make the measure a success