THE LAND ACT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3842, 26 June 1891, Page 2

THE LAND ACT.

Required Improvements, At the Wellington Land Board meeting yesterday an opinion was read from Mr Gully, the Crown Prosecutor, as to the improvements required to be effected before selectors who do not reside can obtain their titles. The Board resolved, to,ißSue regulations for the guidance of the Crown Lands Ranger for inspecting holdings, The opinion referred to is as follows: —" As to the meaning of section 13 of the Land Act Amendment Act, 1887, it is, in my opinion, clear beyond doubt that the seleotor, in order to entitle himself to a grant (without personal residence), must both (1) cultivate and (2) permanently improve his land to twice the amount actually required by section 114. Under section 114, sub-section 7, one-fifth of the land (if rural) is to be cultivated within four years, and under sub-section 8 substantial improvements, &c, to the value of £1 per acre, are o be put on the land within six years, Similarly under section 149, the holder of a perpetual lease is bound, both to cultivate and improve to a like extent, and the application of section 21 is extended to this tenure also. Under both systems, therefore, the licensee is bound to comply with each of these conditions, and if personal residence is dispensed with, he must comply with them to double the extent originally prescribed. The double compliance becomes a condition of his license, and it is only upon performance of this condition that he can insist' upon his grant under seotion 16 of the Amendment Act, 1887. The answer according to the first question is that the nonresident selector must under section 21 from time to time cultivate twofifths of his land, and spend in addition £2 per annum per acre in substantial improvements.