THE SELWYN ESTATE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 304, 21 December 1905, Page 6

THE SELWYN ESTATE.

BALLOT FOB SECTIONS TO-MORROW.

Thei portion of the Selwyn Estate acquired by the Government some tinie ago for closer settlement, south.of the railway Une, is to be ballot ted for to-morrow, morning. In this area there, are .50,887. acres, divided. Into 7 dairy farms from 301 to 578 Nacres each, 14 ordinary farms Of" from 5S tb;i08o acres each,' 10 small.grasirig'iuris- of from ,282) to.s3a>; acres each, and-151, village allotments at .Pntarnrur and Ltehneld;.; .For" the dairy and' ordinary'farriis "there are '45' api plications in hand, for six of the dairy farms and 12 of the farms; one application for a grazing-run; and lo applications. for four of the village sections. To-day each of the applicants was examined by the Board as to his financial and' other circumstances, and the ballot will be held to-mor-row morning in the. Land Board's office, commencing at 10. • NORTHERN SECTION TO BE OPENED IN MARCH. It has been decided to open the northern portion of the estate in March next. If anything, this part Is better than the south- i crn, and Is at least equal to It in fertility. There are 43,296 acres in this area, of which 20,179 acres have : been classified as secondclass laud, including 34 dairy and ordinary farms, and 23,117 acres as third-Class land, including five grazing runs. The total area of the estate is therefore 94,283 acres. A : portion of the. northern, block has been reserved for experimental farms to be estab- . lished by the Agricultural Department, chiefly devoted to the cultivation of wattle. The areas of ,tlie farms 'are subject to revision,;: and the values' wIU be' ascertained before the block' is thrown open by competent valuers. There Is In this northern portion of the estate a huge forest of 60,000 acres ot dense bush, situated on the eastern side of the block. It will be utilised for timber milling purposes, and already several applications have been received by the Board. It has yet to be decided whether this timber will be thrown open to the sawmill or reserved till the other forests are exhausted. The timber Is chiefly tbtara, rimu, and matal.