have placed
Shoulders.
the burden
upon
their own)
I do not think that
any modification
of the present tenure could be carried out; such
as a
reduction of a percentage upon all lands;
the unequal pressure would still be the same;
special cases no doubt
and
any
might receive consideration,
and a reduction upon these would of
course
be appreciated by the individual, but it
would be difficult to say
where to stop.
It is very
questionable whether a reduction
of even 50
per-cents would be of much service, or tend to the prosperity of the Colony. I do not think
such relief
is wanted. At the time these high rents
were
paid
houses let at an
extravagant price, but now it is not so,
and
the person paying a high ground-rent cannot
afford
to let his house at the same rate as
his neighbour perhaps who pays a small
ground rent, and thus it frequently happens
that houses under these Circumstances remain
untenanted for a long period; and it is
only
in
such cases where I think consideration ought
to be
given
as to equalize
the rate.
Would it not be practicable for the
Crown to forego its rent
when the tenant
finds it impossible to let the premises built
upon the
ground;
I mention this with reference
to Messrs. Harker & Co's premises, which have
now been untenanted
for nearly 2 years; they
cannot
find it impossible at present to sell the property, have derived no benefit from it, but still have to pay a large
amount
of rental which doubtless they will try to fix upon a purchaser,
whenever he may appear, and perhaps the knowledge of this deters some parties from offering; it entails a heavy loss upon the proprietors
and renders the sale
year after year
more
difficult.
A total change of the land tenure I
imagine is the only plan that can be adopted,
such as
giving
the land in
fee
and at a nominal
rent, and then to make up the deficient Revenue)