LAND VALUES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 81, 3 April 1908, Page 7

LAND VALUES.

ES" AUCKLAND PROVINCE. The demand for land in the Auckland Province has steadily been improving, " and ■with the opening up of fresh areas for settlement, the North is fast becomirg more closely populated. Chatting with a "Star" representative this morning, a well-known land agent, who was for many years connected ■with the Government Valuation Department, and is therefore in a position to give an expression of opinion, gave an interesting idea of the way in which land values lave gone up during the last few years. "There are farms in the Piako district," said the gentleman in question, "which .ten years ago sold at £5 per acre, and are "now realising £16 10/ per acre. Further than there are numerous instances which can be quoted, wherein properties have changed hands as often as three times within the last two years •at an increase in the purchase money ■ each time." There has not been any tendency to send land values up in the Auckland district, a≤ has been the case in TaTaiiaki, and there is no indicaton that fictitious values have prevailed anywhere, Now a.nd then, instances may be found in which inexperienced settlers have lought land at prices beyond' its true value, but, generally speaking, values are" not foreecl. up. TKe country varies. so much in character that it is impossible to give an approximate idea of average values, and there are occasions when land sells at as high as £22 per acre, ' "an3~ in such cases it is held that the price is not beyond the true value of the land. "As winter approaches,"' addled the land .agent, in question, "the demand in- ... creases, and' at present the inquiry is very keen." There is a big demand for •dairy farms, and %Sonthern buyers are ~'coming North, on the lookout for fresh -■ properties. Those Southern dairymen, who have already settled in the North, ;;j are doing .well, and their appreciation is having the effect of awakening a more general inquiry from all parts of the Dominion for property in the North."