THE LANDS REPORT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 164, 11 July 1907, Page 5

THE LANDS REPORT.

A YEAR'S RECORD. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.): WELLINGTON, this day. The annual report of the Lands De-. partment was presented to the House to-day. It shows that 640,262 acres of Crown land were opened for selection during the year, being 871 acres less than in the previous year. This is distributed: 287,853 acres in the North Island, and 352,409 acres in the South Island, the latter area being chiefly pastoral runs. The balance of Crown land remaining for selection is 2,530,448 acres. In addition, 1,141,191 acres are being prepared for selection, making the total area available 3.671,639. If pastoral runs are deducted, the balance available for settlement is 2,258,72_ acres.

This, states the report, is not ai first sight reassuring, but if the area of native lands now being purchased, which totals for the North Island 321,744 acres, is added, an available balance is secured of 2,610,466 acres.

The demand for Crown lands shows no diminution. During the year 2280 selectors ..took up 958,652 acres, or an average of 311 acres each. Selections under O.R.P. tenure totalled 215,530 acres, L.I.P. 30,333, and cash 11,965 acres.

Revenue totalled £578323, an increas? of £27,981, the principal contributors being: Canterbury, £131,514; Auckland, £95415; Otago," £89,633; Wellington, £71,969; Hawke's Bay, £61,461; Marlborough, £32,985; Southland, £27,244; Taranaki, £27,046; Nelson, £25,937; Westland, £15,323.

The Auckland Commissioner reports that, generally speaking, selectors are in a prosperous condition, but the workmen's hamlets are not so thriving, their holdings being regarded as too small to be of use considering the distance they are from the city.