VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 189, 9 August 1895, Page 3

VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS.

REVIEW OF THE SYSTEM.

SUGGESTIONS BY MR MARCH,

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PARLIAMENTARY RK

FOKTER.)

Wellington, this day.

The report of Mr March, Superintendent of Village Settlements, states that during the year ended March 31st last, twentyfour new settlements have been formed, seven in tho North, and seventeen in the South Island. Of 1,814 original aottlora, 1,150 remain. The number now settled on the land under the village homestead eyatern, including wives and families, is 4,501, viz., 2,556 in the North, and 2,005 in bhe South Island. There ia still a large number not residing on their sections, partly due to the fact that many of them are sadly in want of means to build on their holdings before they can settle there with their wivea and families. Others are new eelectors, and the time allowed for reeiding has nob yeb expired. From the commercial system, £25,778 liaa been advanced for dwellinghouses, bush-felling, etc., equivalent to an advance of 15s 3d per acie, and total amount received for rent and interest is £17,620. The arrears of rent amount to £2,575. The iorfoHures and surrenders latfe year were 56 areas being 1,127 ucres, and the annual rent was £239. The values of improvements now on the land amount to £92,834. The number of small settlors ab Cheviot under the village homestead system is 87, with wivuu und families numbering 341. The total area occupied is 2,419 acres, and the annual rent ie £844. The improvements made are valued at £3,044, thus proving that the settlers have been industrious, and are the righb class. Mr March atrongly recommends giving assistance to village settlers to enable them to build cottages, and clear ground for cultivation aud grazing, and thus assist! them to tide over the lirst few months, while assistance for ordiuury village homesteads and Battlements in localities where private employment may be obtained ia advocated. To relieve tho labour market the establishment of labour settlements in bhe viciniby of some large public work whereby men would find employmenb for a fortnight or a month on that public work and employ an equal amount of time in improving their holdings, is strongly recommended

I» this connection Mr Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands, Auckland, recommends the drainage of fchoTokatoka swamp as a highly and thoroughly profitable scheme, which would give employment bo a numberof men, and ab thogamo time provide permanent settlement. Having inspected the land, Mr March fully endorses Mr Mueller's recommendation, and mentions that the work is now in hand preparatory to arranging settlement on this system. Other blocks in the colony might be dealb with iti a similar manner.

A second way ia the establishment and promotion of labour colonies to give emloymenb and insbrucbion to men who are capable of work, bub are without occupation, and lack experience on agricultural or bush lands.

In conclusion, the Superintendent expressea tho opinion that instead of settlements being only a partial success, they can be made a genuine and complete success, and the recommendations he has made will, he submits, accomplish thia if they are allowed.

The report says that in New Zealand very little money has been advanced during the past few years by way of assisting new village Bottlers to permanently settle on tho land. Tho sum of £10 has been granted as a loan in a few cases, but the Superintendent submits that the amounb is too small to be of any real service. In order that the work of settling people on tho land under the village eebtiement regulations may bo pushed forward with greater vigour than heretofore, he recommends that moro land in 'suitable, localities and of good quality should be opened. Under this system and that) of all village settlers who are approved by tho respective land boards, there should be granted bhe following assistance by way of loan towards erection:—Cottage, £20, in bush lands, further assistance at the rate of £2 per acre up to ten acres ; for fulling, burning and grassing £20, which means that on plain or open lauds assistance would be £20, and on bueh land the aid would be £40, In the case of dwellings the money would not be advanced until a building of at loasb the value of the lonn was on the land, and bush falling, etc., would only bo paid for as the work proceeded in proportion to the amounb done. Arrangements should also bo made for fche repayment of these advances by instalments after tho first four years. A fund would tbua be created horn wbicb assistance might be granted to newsottlors. The Superintendent advises that in order to guard agninsb the loss of the eetfcler through fire, each dwelling-house should be insured in bhe name of tbo Minister of Lands and fcbe occupier.