3

C-β.

Precis op the Commissioners' Ebports— continued.

Page. 2. Applicants to be classed according to the number of times they have unsuccessfully applied; those who have applied most frequently without success to have priority in first ballot. The applicant whose name is drawn first to have choice of section in block, and other applicants ~Tj for the remaining sections in the order in which 28JC their names are drawn .. .. .. 14 3. Married women to be barred unless judicially separated from their husbands, except that husband can apply in his wife's name for a contiguous section.. .. .. ..15 4. Widow with family to be on same footing as male applicant .. .. .. .. 15 5. Persons under the age of seventeon years not eligible .. .. .. .. 15 Mr. W. G. Mubray, Nelson. No suggestions, owing to limited application of ballot 15 system in his district. Mr. J. G. Roberts, Westland. Proposals. 1. Land Board should define district whenever a block of land is to be opened, and applications to be confined to persons living within such distriot .. .. .. .. 15 2. That in lands acquired and subdivided under Land for Settlements Acts no relative or connection of the person from whom estate purchased should be allowed at first ballot .. .. 16 3. Married men with family should have preference 16 4. Applicant unsuccessful at first ballot to have two chances at subsquent ballot .. .. 16 5. Age of applicants to be not less than seventeen and nineteen, according to land applied for, and transfers not allowed until selector has reached twenty-six years of age .. .. 16 6. Land Board to have power to reject any application without giving reason .. .. .. 16 7. Applicant to have right of selecting any section he chooses, and that " grouping "be abolished 16 8. No more than one member of a family to be allowed at a ballot .. .. .. 16 Mr. T. Humphries, Canterbury. Reviews the administration and working of Land Act and ballot, and furnishes numerous examples in connection therewith .. .. 17 Large numbers of applicants experience disappointment under present ballot system owing to combinations of other persons applying .. .. 17 In regard to ordinary Crown lands, the difficulty is not due so much to applications by moneyed men as to those who apply in combination with many relatives and friends ; but as deposits are required under the Land for Settlements Act, possession of money gives an advantage .. 17 Wives assist husbands, doubling their chances in the ballot to secure up to 960 acres of first-class land or 3,000 acres of second-class, though Board has power to object .. .. .. 17 Unmarried women can apply for maximum area .. 17 It has been proved that women almost as a rule apply in the interests of their male relatives. This is also generally the case as regards single young men .. .. .. .. 17 Gives instructive particulars of applicants at various ballots .. .. .. .. ..17 Ballot should be to determine order of choice .. 18 Preference to married men is suitable for workmen's homes and small holdings near cities, but is not always suitable when applied to rural lands .. 18 Married men might secure all sections in one settlement .. .. .. .. .. 18 In one specified case, Board would have had to reject over two hundred other applicants, which would have resulted in married men without families and single men and women ceasing to apply in future .. .. .. .. .. 18 Those who have previously secured sections should be barred .. .. .. .. 18 Present difficulties —inequality of chances ; compulsory grouping .. .. .. .. 18

Proposals. Page 1. The Land Board to have large discretionary powers .. .. .. .. 19 2. Only one member of family to bo allowed to ballot, unless applicants apply bond fide for themselves .. .. .. .. 19 3. Grouping to be continued on broader lines .. 19 4. Application and deposit as now .. 19 5. Board to decide which group of sections each applicant could apply for .. .. 19 6. Priority of choice to be determined by ballot; No. 1 to select any section in group applied for or in any lower group ; and so on with other applicants .. .. .. 19 7. Right of withdrawal to be allowed .. 19 Ordinary Crown lands need not be dealt with under such stringent conditions, as they are generally rough, unimproved, and not liable to deterioration .. .. .. .. .. 19 Board to examine all applicants, and to exercise its right to prevent multiplication of individual's chances .. .. .. .. 20 Ballot to decide order of choice .. .. 20 Board to have power to question applicants, investigate cases, and reject applications .. 20 Mr. David Babron, Otago. Little evidence that wealthy people have taken unfair advantages in applying for land under present system .. .. .. 20 Family combinations common .. .. 20 Deposits easily arranged for with loan companies .. 20 Undesirable persons frequently secure sections .. 21 Auction and tender systems tried and found wanting 2J Proposals. 1. Setting-up of competent Boards of Review, with power to reject unsuitable applicants— (a.) Possessing too little means ; .. 21 (b.) Possessing too much means ; .. 21 (c.) Already holding sufficient land ; .. 21 (d.) Having insufficient knowledge of farming, &c. .. .. .. .. .. 21 (c.) For other reasons justifying rejection .. 21 [ 2. Applicants to be examined on oath as to— (a.) Their financial position .. 21 (b.) Amount of land held by applicant or wife .. .. .. .. .. 21 (c.) Whether applicants possess sufficient knowledge and experience to work land to advantage .. .. .. .. 21 3. Experienced colonists to have preference over new arrivals .. .. .. .. 21 4. Unsuccessful applicants at previous sales to have priority .. .. .. .. .. 21 5. No right of appeal to be allowed .. .. 21 6. Sections to be grouped .. .. 21 7. Applicants to be arranged by ballot into order of choice, reducing number of applicants, when necessary, to equal number of sections available .. .. .. .. ..21 Mr. John Hay, Southland. Reports upon the working of the present system .. 21 Most desirable applicants are not always successful .. 21 Members of families combine to increase chances .. 21 Only one member of a family should be allowed to compete in ballot .. .. .. 21 Applicants object to being compelled to take any section in block, and therefore refrain from applying .. .. .. .. 22 Applicant to be allowed to apply for any section he prefers .. .. .. .. 22 Married women sometimes draw sections exceeding maximum area allowed .. .. 22 Ballot cannot be done away with in case of competition .. .. .. .. ..22 The ballot is otherwise perfectly fair .. .. 22 Proposals. 1. Only one member of a family to be allowed to apply for same section or sections .. .. 22 2. Unsuccessful applicants at former ballots to be given preference .. .. .. .. 22