Parliamentary Jottings.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 181, 27 July 1901, Page 3

Parliamentary Jottings.

(FKOSI oun OMN CO'IEKvd? INDENT. J The piece de resistance in the House since I wrote you last has been the Land for Settlement Ac; Amendment Bill. This is an important measure, and was stoutly fought by the Opposition. Mr Seddon said dummyisrn in another form is rampant, owing to the pumber of bogus applicants who send in applications for sections when there is land open for disposal. Sometimes there are 15 or 16 persons, all applying, practically, in the interests of one individual. If any one of these 15' or 16 get a section, it goes, ultimately, to the one who is really at the back of the lot. To check this, very stringent clauses have been put in the Bill by the House, and as they are of supreme importance .and entirely revolutionise the present system of the disposal of sections, I forward them to you verbatim. Note carefully how dummyisrn is to bo checked, by practically putting a stop to transfers. Clause Bb, 8c and 8d will repay careful perusal. 8. (1 ) Whenever land acquired under the principal Act is cut up for occupation, the allotments shall be classified, according as they are suitable for ordinary farms, or dairy fanns, or small grazing- runs,or partly for farms, and partly grazing runs, (2.) Every applicant for an allotment shall state in his application what class of allotment he requires. Ba. (1.) After inquiry by the Board, as provided by the principal Act, as to the applicant’s bona fides and suitability, the number of approved applicants shall be reduced by ballot to the number of allotments available. (2.) A second ballot shall then be taken as follows : —The name of c-ach candidate shall bo placed separately in ouebox, and the number of each allotment shall bo placed separately in another box, and loc shall be drawn from both boxes simultaneously ; and the allotment whose number is so drawn shall go to the applicant whose name is simultaneously drawn, and he shall be deemed to be the successful applicant for that allotment. Bb. Every applicant who obtains an allotment under this Act shall reside continuously thereon. 80. It shall not be lawful for a lessee under this Act to transfer the land comprised in the lease within the period of five years from the date of such lease ; provided that, on the death of a lee-ea or on the happening of any extraordinary event which in the opinion of the Land Board renders a transfer necessary or expedient, a transfer of the lease may, with the sanction of that Board, bo made. Be. The Land Board may, at any time after two years from the date of any lease, and with the consent of the Minister, accept a surrender of the lease on the condition that the value of the improvements made by the lessee shall he paid to such lessee by the incoming lessee, the value of such improvements being ascertained and determined by the Land Purchase Board. The Opposition fought hard for the freehold system to be permitted in disposing of the land, but Mr Seddon declared on the floor of the House that he would sooner leave the .Government benches and give up the Premiership than agree to such n proposal. There will never so long as he is in power be any disposal of the fee simple of lands taken under the Lands for Settlement Act, that is, of course, the Act under which the big estates are taken and cut up. Rumour says that the cost of the Royal tour to the colony will be something like £IOO,OOO. It may be, as nearly all the members, when alluding to the question, somewhat naively remarked that the visit of what Mr Flatman convulsed the House by calling “ the Duke and Duchess of New York ” will be a great advertisement for the colony, but, assuredly, it is a perfectly costly one. In ray next I hope to give you some general jottings. The importance of my excuse for taking up almost thu whole of this letter with an account of the Land Act Amendments.