ANNAN SETTLEMENT.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11751, 27 November 1903, Page 5

ANNAN SETTLEMENT.

OPENING OF THE BALLOT. There was » Utrga influx of wisitofa to Waiau in connection with th» ballot for sections m the Annan Settlement (previously known as the Highfield estate) on Wednesday and yesterday. Mr T. Humphries, Comjnt»sk>ner of Crown Lands for Canterbury, afcssro A. C. Pringle, J. Allan, and J. Stevensoni members of th* Land Board, who had remained at Culverden over night, arrived yesterday by special coach, and during the day were kept busy going through the applications, to the number of over three hundred, preparatory to the ballot to-day. Th* town allotment* (10) and forma (25) are for Seaae for 999 years, and tho email grazing runs (10) are for leases of twentyone years. There were many very likely settlers present who liad come by coaches and others by traps and bicycles, and all seomed keen to obtsht land for permanent settlement, the conditions are stringent in requiring that successful applicants must reside on their selections for five years. Tbe Land Board has no far been particularly investigating l the questions whether any of the applicant* hold any interest in over 1000 acres, including tho land applied for, or whether they hare-property of the full value ot three times ma load applied for if under 100 acres, or twice the value, if under £00 acres, or ono and a ihalf time*, if over 600 acres. No person who ha* an interest in lands which with the area applied for exceeds 6000 acres, or who has property of tbe net value of on« and a> half tunes tiie capital value of tha land acquired, can have * igrajtlng run. The maximum area-for a married woman shall not exceed 3Bf> acres of first-cfcws, or 1000 acres of second-class, land, irrespective (however of any land her maaband may be entitled to hold.

The Board is to give preference to persons who are landless over those who have landed property already. An applicant jsnot considered landless unless he hold insufficient land in the opinion of the Board for the maintenanc* of himself and family. ■ In caso of a husband or wife, if either is not landless neither of them shall be considered landless.

The Board alto made wry close enquiries a*> to the financial poaitioDf of the applicants. Bank books and other documents were required in proof, and some of those who had to go through the inqoisitorial proceedings were inclined to rebel till told that it won only by making fall disclosures, which would be strictly confidential, that they could hap© to be included in the ballot. Any refusal to n»k« a candid confession of their position meant absolute disqualification.

Th* Board wo© fully occupied all yesterday, and those who waited ootsid* McDonald's Hall discussed with each other their respecziv© interviews.

It is estimated that th© deposits received for Annan sections amount to over £22,000. After th© Land Board adjourned at 6.30 p.m. it was reported that there wa» only on© eligible snplicatron for the largea* gresting run of 3823 acres, section 8, block 10, which is reckoned to be one of tha best of the graf ing runs. It will be allotted to Messrs Little Bros., of Montasrrat, near Hawarden. The young men or© to be congratulated on their good fortune. For on© of th© farms it is stated) that fiftyfir© application* were made, and the total ia cms© on thro© hundred.