The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1882.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4229, 21 July 1882, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JULY 21, 1882.

Continuing oor remarks on the Land Bill, the proposals as to renewing leases every twenty-one years demand careful consideration. Theie proposals, and the machinery; devised for .pay ing the renewed rent and other terms are simply monstrous. To carry into effect sach a scheme on anything like an extended scale would necessitate the creation not only of huge Waste Land Boards and staffs of officers, but also of a huge Land Department. Consider, for instance, the time, the labor, and the expense of obtaining an actual valuation by arbitration in detail of eyery improvement on every farm throughout the colony held on such leases. What a number of people must be employed, and what extensive supervision would be required, and above all what endless and splendid opportunities there would be for jobbing. And yet this is what the Bill proposes. Parliament should once for all declare leases to be perpetual. That would be a parting with what is the equivalent here of the dominium uiitl in Scotland—that is a title to possession of the land and right to use and occupy it. Parliament should also fix periodically a standard valuation per acre on each class of rural Crown land, and make that valuation applicable all over the colony. If first class rural land be now valued at say £3 or £4 per acre, second class £2, third class £1, and fourth class 108, on the expiry of 21 years it would be pen fectly easy, without the actual valuation of each farm, to arrive with sufficient definiteness for State purposes at the increase in value. It does not need to be an absolute valuation at all, only a relative valuation is required. The standard for first class land at the end of 21 years ! would be taken as so much per acre, and 1 the value of the other classes of land would be exactly proportioned or relative to that standard. To illustrate—lf the value of first class land, 21 years hence, be taken as £8 per acre, the second class land now valued at £2 would 21 years hence be £4 per acre. The question joi per centage on value, by way of rent, should in like manner be regulated by Parliament at every periodical fixing of value. The great object to be obtained is to get the country settled, and therefore every facility should be given, and no hinderance ,placed in the way of accomplishing that object., There are other matters of detail which are objectionable, but the main faults of the proposed mea* ! sure have been pointed out. Many people think and say that these faults or defects ; are intentional, and are designed to reduce ;to an absurdity the leasing system, but that implies dishonesty of purpose and treachery on the part of the Ministry. Such motives should not be assumed or implied in the fas of a declaration by the Ministry that they desire to " ensure the settlement of the, land " by means of the leading system. The Ministry are undoubtedly right, and' they

ought to get credit for honesty of pur pose in this matter. They approve of the leasing system, and they only need to have"- pointed oat, to them the best and 7 most acceptable method of giving effect to their proposals. . They are simply mistaken, for instance, in supposing that it is necessary or desirable to retain in their own hands the power of proclaiming or refusing to proclaim lands for leasing; or that it is. necessary or practicable to have a valuation of the land and a valuation of improvements thereon made every 21 years by arbitration, under the provisions of " The Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Act, 1366;" and that no dealing with the land should be allowed without previously obtaining the consent in writing of the Board.