• for. 22182
32
to the provision of roads and of police protection at the expense chiefly of the taxpayers in the old Colony, and that the actual holders of the land in such areas cannot, therefore, be considered to have any special claim to the increment in value due to these causes. Moreover, it is estimated that of the land resumed by Government for town- planning development about 45% is needed for public purposes, in order that the necessary roads and requirements of the Public Health and Buildings Ordinance may be supplied. Furthermore the amenities of the developed districts are improved by the action of the Government and of public utility companies in providing water, lighting and transport
facilities.
12.
An attempt was made to curb land speculation by the passing of the Crown Lands Resumption Amendment Ordinance No.9 of 1922, the Attorney General's report on which will be found in my predecessor's despatch No.145 of the 31st March, 1922. The effect of this legislation on the
awards of resumption boards is correctly described in the
Memorial. For land classified as agricultural in the Crown
Lease Schedules, awards were based on a liberal valuation
of its agricultural productivity, no account being taken of its possible use for building. On these lines alone was it possible for Government to proceed with the town-planning scheme. In the case of holdings already classified as building land, exchanges were arranged, where possible, for new sites conforming to the scheme. This policy might perhaps have been more extensively used, but it must be remembered that the new sites could only be provided by resumption of agricultural holdings and that provision of the necessary land was greatly hampered by the resistance offered to the acquisition of these holdings at a reasonable
figure.
13.