11

I.—sa,

Consideration of the Land Bill was resumed, and the Hon. Mr. McNab moved the insertion of the following new clause: — " 3b. The like ' thirds ' shall be payable to local authorities in respect of renewable-lease land are are by the principal Act directed to be paid in respect of leases in perpetuity, and for the like period." Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved the insertion of the following new clause: — " 14a. Where the Minister proceeds to sell any land entered upon the reduction roll as being held by a lessee, and not in fee-simple, he shall, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, sell only the interest of such lessee under the lease or other instrument under which he holds the land, and the conveyance or transfer by the Valuer-General shall vest only such interest in the purchasr or Transferee, but discharged from all mortgages, charges, claims, estates, or interests created by the lessee, or otherwise affecting the interest held under such instrument." Agreed to. Clause 14. Subclause 3. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved to insert the word "or lessees" between the words "owners" and " excess estate " in the subclause.—Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved to go back into the Bill for the purpose of considering the amendments of which he had given notice.—Agreed to unanimously. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved the following amendments in clause 4, subclause (2): After " All such lands," insert" "and all settlement lands." On the question being put a-division was called for, and there voted— For the amenament. —Hon. Mr. McNab, Messrs. Bennet, Ell, Flatman, Greenslade, Laurenson, Lawry, Malcolm, Mills, and Witty. —10. Against. —Messrs. Duncan, Fraser, and Hall.—3. The amendment was therefore carried, and words inserted accordingly. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved the insertion of the following addition to clause 4 :— " (3.) All other Crown lands may be selected on the occupalion-with-right-of-purchase system or the renewable-lease system, but not otherwise." Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved the insertion of the following new proviso to clause 5, subclause (5): " Provided that if the lessee shall within two months after being served by the notice by the Commissioner proceed to arbitration, then the time within which the lessee may elect to accept a renewal shall be three months from the pubilcation of the award." —Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved the insertion of the following new subclause to clause 8: — " (6.) Subsections one to four of this section shall extend and apply to leases in perpetuity." Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved th,a|..the—following new, proviso to clause 12, subclause (2), be added after the subclause: "Provided that not more than one-tenth of the purchase-money shall be required to be paid on the sale, and the balance in annual instalments of not less than ten per cent."—Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved, That after the word " Provided," in the second proviso to subclause (2) of clause 12, the words " further, where the Supreme Court, on motion made under this section, declares that the excess estate is held in trust," be inserted. On the motion being put, a division was called for, and there voted— For the motion. —Hon. Mr. McNab, Messrs. Bennet, Ell, Flatman, Greenslade, Hall, Laurensou, Lawry, Malcolm, Mills, and Witty.—ll. Against. —Messrs. Duncan and Fraser.—2. The motion was therefore carried, and the words inserted accordingly. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved, That the following new proviso be inserted after subclause (2) of clause 15: — " Provided always that where a mortgage of rural land is dated prior to the commencement of this Act, and the mortgagee has become the purchaser of the mortgaged land or any part thereof at a sale made under the direction of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, the instrument of conveyance may be absolutely registered if having subscribed thereto or indorsed thereon a statutory declaration by such purchaser that, to the best of his information, knowledge, and belief, the mortgage was executed prior to the commencement of this Act, and was given in good faith, and the transaction evidenced by the instrument of mortgage was a genuine one. " The word ' mortgagee " in this subsection includes any person who, by transfer or otherwise, shall have become entitled to the mortgage debt." Agreed to. Subclause (3) of clause 15. The Hon. Mr. McNab moved the deletion of the word " such " in line 2 of the subclause, and the insertion of the words IT under this section " after the word "instrument" in the same line; also, in line 3, the substitution of the word " the " for " such " ; and after the first word " declaration " the insertion of the words " required by this section." —Agreed to. The subclause as amended was then.put, and agreed to. Mr. Bennet handed in the following notice of motion : " That the Committee recommends the House to delay the passage of the Land Bill so that the people may uave an opportunity of considering its provisions (as amended by the Lands Committee) during the coming recess, and before it becomes law." On the motion of the Hon. Mr. McNab the Committee then adjourned.