LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 292, 7 December 1920, Page 7

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

; AN INTERESJTIXG RETUKN. Information relative to Crown lands available for settlement and the position of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement GAccount has been received by Mr. J. Pow. general secretary of the R.S.A., from tJ>e \ Minister of Land-s, and embodied in a ' circular issued to all branches of the ! Association. Jn September last th« I Minister was asked to supply particulars 'relative to: (a) The areas of' Crown land ; suitable for soldier settlement available in each district, (b) The number of seej tions (for soldiers) these areas could be cut up into, and (c) the claee of land. j In reply, the Minister haa -furnished. : through the Department, the following ' return showing the approximate area ot 'land available in each district: — District. arres. hol.llnci. Anrfclend 14.54S lO". Auckland 2S..VM x> Hawses Bar 12.901 76 Huwke's Bay 14.342 IS Taranaki 35.R00 l.to Welltnpton 14.22T> SS Mfcrlborougrh S.I3S 5 Nelson 7!>.134 IS6 rnn-terbury 38,002 40 Otafjo 2ff7,92J 132 The land i-s rfassified ac follows: —■ Auckland, dairring and grazing; Hawke'3 Bay, dairyinff and grazing: Taranaki. Wellington, Nelson, and Canterbury, mixed farming; Otajjo, pastoral, etc. Until it hae be<m surveyed, subdivided, valued, ami provision made for roadine. the Department states that it is not in a position to bring this land under the notice of soldiers. SETTLEMENT ACCOUNT. A statement ac to the position of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Account on October 31, 1920. shows that the loan authorities were as follow: —Disr.harjjed Soldiers' Settlement Act, 1915. and amendments, £1,500.000; Discharged Soldiers' Loans Act. 1919, £12,500,000: Discharged Soldiers' Loans Act, 1920, £6,000,000: total. £20.000,000. Advances repaid amount to £500,000, making the total available £20,500.000. The advances authorised total £17.001.015, leaving a balance oi £3,498.985 available for authorisation.

The particulars of authorisations are as follow:—General improvt?ments and stock. £2,766.109: advaiK-es towards purchase of private ot Native lands, £6,413.678; advances towards purchase of Crown leaseholds. £1,577,610; advances towards discharge of mortgages. £543,881; advances towards purchase snd erection of town dwellings, £5,699,----737. Total, f1~.001.010.

The average advance for stock and improvements is £543, the average advance for purchase of private land is £1633. the average advance for purchaee of dwellings is £669. and the average capital value of settlement sec- j tioirs is £2460. Taking into account the average advance for stock and improvements, it will be seen that the average cost of plating men on land for settlement sections is £3000. ESTATES ACQUIRED. Tie following summary is given of estates acquired in various land districts under the Land for Settlement Act for returned soldiers and which are being prepared for settlement, as at October 31, 1920: — snbdivlN<i. or Area In sions District. properties, airea. (approx.) North Auckland .. 2 ' 5.044 13 Auckland •> «3 Halite's Bay r - 12.021 4< Taranakl S S.2VI 4, Wellinrton " 23.8." 43 Mnrlborough 2 5.10* 6 Nelson 3 31.024 3« Canterbury 3 1.124 Iβ Otaso 5 48.106 46 Totals 3S 138.603 337 The total price paid for the lajid m each district wae as follows: —North Auckland, £39.200: Auckland, £110.134: Hawke's Bay. '£234.203: Taranaki.j YVellimrton. £247,179: Marl- ( borough. £31.243: Nelson. £76.737: • Canterbury. £26.803: Otago, £85,268.1 Total, £1,063,007. I