LAND COMMISSIONER'S TOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 26, 31 January 1910, Page 6

LAND COMMISSIONER'S TOUR.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. "Generally epeajung, the Crown, tenants are in good heart, and the country and stock are looking -well," commented ilr. J. JlaoKenzie (Commissioner of CYown Lands), in a report which he submitted to the Wellington Land Board this week. He had been on a tour of the rural districts, having visited the settlements in the Panga.roa, Makuri, and Akitio Ridings. Gratification wae expressed by him with the progress made in these localities, and en passant he said that grass was abundant, notwithstanding the dry season, while wool and stock were both at payatole rates.

During his absence the Commissioner made special enquiry into the question oi the aggregation of holdings that had token place in the districts inspected. Hβ said that, although for various reason.3 (bhe chief one being that a number of original holdings were below whe-t might be termed a "living area," particularly in the purely sheep country), a number of settlers had sold out to those of their neighbour who -we-re in a podation to buy, and still the district might be said to be entirely without large holdings so far as Crown tenants were concerned, and well within the limits of the Land Act. He had looked for aggTcgntions of land, but did not find any save one or two holdings of sheep country 400 or 500 aeree in extent, but not more thnn anyone could make a decent living out of.