New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-07
LAND TRANSFER REFORM
THE ESTABLISHMENT OF TITLES ONCE AND FOR

EN- En-
Tothe Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The letter signed Real Estate in your issue
of March IL was clear and trenchant exposure of
the evils of the present system. Why should we
not adopt the system now 50 successful in Canada
New Zealand and Australia Of registry and guarantee
of title by the State and &c rid Of this antquac1
expensive plan altogether? Edward Wakefield. In
his work. "New Zealand After Fifty Years. thus
refers to the subject:
The system of land transfer in New Zealand is eX-
ccedlncly simple aud inexpensive. that any one
wishing to buy land buy a. little or a nuc as ne
wants with perfectly secure TUE gnaianecd ny o'
and rcgistration About one eleventh Of the popua
ton fccholders and i'll some OF the best settled
Districts the proportion Is s'iii greater.
No country in the world can show such IA hcaltiful
growth this
A distinguished official Of Manitoba writes me:
know IA great deal OF the land title and transfer
ysem You %en91 d waS Torrcn and D papd
gained favor and attracted attention ontside being
knows the "TorrenS system" We have hid
ably 1t is the Australian system slightly modified
TO suit local conditions ssmd You ne act OF Ia,
two forms in daily use here. The large one is tie
application bring property which is III the ordinary
registry Offices consisting Of records of original grant
from the Crown, Subdivisions deeds, mortgages. re
application enumcrating them. taken Jay the owner
or agent to land title Office, the moderate fee
which YOU will provided in the act is paid. aud The
work Of examination on, and i'll due course. II
the title is sound originally and The chain complete. a
certificate of title. printed ard engrosscd on lasting
YOU have nothing more 10 do with the armfn of deeds.
etc. YOU have taken with yor application. and TIE
Province guarantees certificate of title. II yOr
wish to sell ii Is the work of an hour and done Oh
the sample form lend y%u If You sell AL Your
issued TO the purchaser II YOU sell part. that part
and new certificate issued to the purchaser Tor that
part. II you sell and take mortgage for part. that
lien is simply put on the new certificate issued ana :,
81 81 Won =
system and answers equally well for city town
perfectly and all title, except these are now looked
upon here aS weak and the mortgage companies VIII
loan ON no other.
This substitution Of indefcasblc titles guaranteed by
the State for individual titles involving conveyance
costly and loaded down with vcrbaec is indeed Il
reform most radical and wlch doubt all the
lawyers and title cOmpanic, who profit hy the old
gricvous toll system would oppose heartily. And
vet they should not for the effect OF the system
10 remove all difficulties in dealing with land that the
be bought. sold or used security for aivancc'
as readily, promptly and chcapN as any other
description of property Thus the acquisition of land
by OF small thc very strength of country
i in a large number OF small fIccholdcrs) would be
enormously facilitated.
To-day none but the wealthy can afford. I'm onr large
cities at least. to deal In real property AT all. whcrea
by this system the condition of vast number o;
families would be elevated and made more snhtant al
mplttudcs would be induced t. follow rural pursuit.
instead of congrceating in the ctcs and the general
wealth Of the would be not only increased. but
more equally distributed among all classes of the
population.
II would also improve the position of existing land
owners Il no reason why they well the
insurance compauc, should not favor the y,tcnl
and would Increase the value OF real estate bv making
4 more negotiable. eNcmpting titles from all risk Of
dispute and multiplying the number and opportunities
Of those wishing 10 become land owners And thus the
lawyers would have more b. do and they therefore
except those who thrive by endless INT CATION legal
fraud should also favor the plan.
In an old book. by Thomas ludd called Good
Order Established in Pennsylvania and NcNlcf,cy in
America" published in 100. ] read ihai il j.,
mcNGci that all lands and hons lp a
public registry, part, uar' thereof being given
whereby such property is made ready money at al
times without the charge Of law. the necessity Of
lawyer. which method Warrington. In hi, Enellnds
Improvements in referring to the success, Of the
Dutch. mentions IT, causes. and he presents
this Illustration Of the system Now ! a Dutch
man, and have land worth 600 year in West Fries
land, and come 10 the bank Amsterdam and ak
them 10 loan $4,000. and viii gage
land for IT, rendering them a particular OF lands
They send hy post TO the Register Of West Fries land
lie replies the land is mine. and there more
words and get my money
How much progrcs,. would ask. have made I'm
Of land transfer since 1000 In the treatment
Of this question. I'm fact all economic problems s
view them in the light # true Christian socialism
realizing that is Ia a large tent hi, brothers
keeper. and the Golden Rule h~ hcst guide and
let W. labor and plan. not for tho good O, com
pany. or set Of men, but for the material welfare 81
millions OF the great wage earning class 81 our
country. j. e. ri MiELLV
Morristown, y. j.. March &c. 1890