THE LAND BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9659, 25 November 1909, Page 3

THE LAND BILL.

LIMITATION OF AREA. SEVERE PENALTIES FOR . EVASION. Bid NATIVE LAND PURCHASES. The Financial Statement has prepared tii>j public for the important provisions of the L*=.nd Law a Amendment ImH en:;rding' liio lessee of land held on tin.' lease in perpetuity or renewable lease system, whether settlement land or ordinary Ciown land, to at any time during the currency of the lease acquire the fee simple. The purchase price is to be the original value of the land, and it is provided that in the case of renewable leases the vj'lue of the minc-ralt; as defined in i-eciion one hur.drcd and ninety of the Land Act (all of which were by vritne of that section excuded from the lease) shall be ascertained by the board by valuation and he added to and included in the purchase price.

The land may be pure haded i'cr cash, or one-fourth of the pure!ase money may be fn-3t deposited and the

remainder paid in half yearly instalments, interest of 4 per cent, per annum being charged on the unpaid balance, which, under the name of "purchase charge," shall be a paramount charge on the laud.

"In order that the Crown (which is at present entitled in reversion to the whole value) may receive a reasonable proportion of the increase in the unimproved value of the land purchased as aforesaid t'.e following provisions shall apply," states clause eleven. It provides for a valuation to ascertain the unimproved value of the land at the date of the leas 3, and at five recurring intervals of thirty three yeu-3 er:h in the r:ase of base in perpetuity land, a-;d perpetually reaming intervals of thirty-three yeacs each in the ease of renewable lease land. Where the valuation shows an increase upon the original unimproved value, one tenth of the increase is to be paid (o the State in the case of lease in perpetuity land if it is not settlement land, and two fifths in thj case of renewable lease land if it ia settlement land.

These sjin s.wUh interest at the rate of 4 pi-r cent., are to be added to the half yearly instalments, and until pai 1 shall be a charge on the land in favour of the Crown, ranking after the "purchase charge" and having priority over all other incumbrances, liens, and interests whatsoever.

Irrespective of the foregoing provisions as to purchase, the lessee of loa-se in perpetuity lnncl, whether settlement land or ordinary Grown land, may, a f , any.tin.c within two years after the coming into operation of the Act, acquire the fee simpl: of the land for cash. Thn purchase price shall be the original unimproved value of the land plus one half of the sum (if any) by which th? unimproved value at the date of the purchase exceeds the unimproved value at the date of the lease.

Land for settlement land tray also be,dispos2d of by sale under the above conditions when ever it is oper.e ' ['■>!* selection under the renewable i.. -" ',

the purchase price to be the capital value of the land (including buildings arid improvements) a? fixed by the Minister of Land?. Tiie purchase may b3 for cash or on the instalment system.

It is expressly stip-.il ted that no clause rehi'i :g to the of the fee simple shall ap'rly !o nainnal cnlowment land.

The general clauses of the Act empower reference of val ;atii-ii d's.-.iules to arbitration (a uniform system of which is laid down), and enable the "purchase charge" and "recurring charge" to by payments at £5 or multiplies thereof, corresponding rebates of interest being allowed.

Ifo farther advance" '-"•'• > - lje taken uf section one hundred and nttst*ty one of the Land Act, gi»ing the owner of a renewable lease or of a lea e in perpstuity the right to pay up to ninety pei centum of the ■ capital value of his land. One-fifth of the annual revenue from national endowment lands shall be applied by the Minister of Finance for the benefit of university

education in connection wit.'i the Auckland University College, the Victoria College, the Canterbury College, and the Otago University in such manner as is approved by resolution of both Houses of Parliament.

Selectors of Crown land must be twenty one years of age. In no case shall any rebate of rent be granted to a Crown tenant, or to a lessee under the Land for Settlements Act, unless the Commissioner and th? Receivers are satisfied that

the tenant or lessee, a3 the case uo ay be, has at least four children under the age of sixteen years. A further drastic limitation proposal is embodied in a short clause which amends clause 341 of the Land Act. This provided that no person could acquire any interest in Crown land which had been alienated if the area, together with that already held by him, exceeded 5,000 acres. For the latter figure is substituted 2,500 acres. All surplus moneys received in r«epect of the sale of the fea simple of Crown lands (other than settlement lane's) shall be paid into the Public* Account to the crtdit of a separate account called the National Development account, and the moneys in that account shall be applied in the development of the coji;try by roads, bridges, telegraphs, telephones, and railways, subject in every case to appropriation by Parliament. The area of land which may be acquired under the Act by any person must not exeneed an area which, togther with all other land (whether Crown land or p«t) owned, held, or occupied under any tenure of more than one year's duration, whether severally or jointly or in common with any other person,' Four hundred acres of fhsfc clars

land. One thousand acres of second class land. Two thousand five hun'red acres of third class land. Two thousand five hundred acres of two or more such classes.

Land shall be deemed to be occupied if it is in fact used or cultivated, whether under any terure :,c not; arid a person who occupies land shall be deemed to hold an interest in it.

If any person acquires any interest in any land in breach of the sections, then, irrespective of the proceedings and penalties to which lie is liable under section Hire e hundred and fortj • three and three hundred and fortyfour df the Land Act, he shall be guilty of a crime, punishable on in dictinent by a fine not exceeding in the case ot a corporate body £I,OOO, snrl in any other case £SOO, or impri£onment for any term not ex» ending two years.

The Bill jee.k.s to empower the purchase of native land in the North Island not exceeding in all two million can be made with the native owners, the land may be taken compulsorily under the provisions of the Land for Settlements Act relating to the compulsory acqusition of private land. The annual expenditure /or purchases is limited to £500,000. All land so purchased shall be deemed to be settlement land, anything in the Land fcr Settlements Act to the contrary notwith3tandrng. Provided that such of it as is classed by the Board with the approval of the Minister of Lands as undeveloped land shall be disposed of on the optional system under the Land Act in liice manner in all respects as if it w-iv ordin ary Crown land, save that tli • orocesds shall be paid into the Lan ! for Settlements Account.