SETTLING THE COUNTRY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 149, 30 July 1914, Page 10

SETTLING THE COUNTRY.

LAND OPENED UP. [From otir own Parliamentary Beporter.] WELLINGTON, July 30. The annual report of the Lands Department was laid on the table of the House to-flay. A schedule gives the purchases under the provisions of the Land Laws Amendment Acts of 1914 and 1.913 up to March 31, 1914. The figures are: — ORDINARY CROWN LANDS. Purchasers 529, area 91,002 acres, amount received £85,5i9 16/-. LAND F©R SETTLEMENTS. Purchasers, 99, area 19,757 acres, amount received £28,744 8/2. Totals: Purchasers 628, area 110,760 acres, amount received £118,264 4/2. In addition many tenants are acquiring the freehold by means of the deferred payment system, and at the close of the year 221 tenants were holding 32,467 acres and were paying for the freehold under this system by yearly instalments amounting to £2940. It is expected that these privileges and concessions will be largely taken advantage of by tenants during the coming year. The area opened for selection during the year, under all tenures, was 474,586 acres, being an increase of about 137,000 acres over the area offered during the preceding twelve months. This area includes 16 settlement estates subdivided and offered for selection on the renewable lease tenure. Every effort is being made by the Department to render available for selection the remaining Crown lands. The land opened for selection during the year ended March 31 last totalled 474,586 acres, as follows: A.Cf GS Auckland 106,680 Hawke's Bay .. .. 35,044 Taranaki 79,357 Wellington .. .. 32,753 Nelson .. .. .. 6,639 Marlborough .. .. 99,169 Westland 853 Canterbury 36,790 Otago 24,214 Southland 53,087 During the year an area of 500,396 acres of Crown lands was selected under all tenures by 2051 persons. Under renewable lease the total selections were 539, covering an area of 213,400 acres, of which 148,293 acres were settlement estates, opened for selection during the year.