SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26264, 8 November 1950, Page 10

SETTLEMENT OF SOLDIERS

FEWER COMPULSORY ACQUISITIONS RECORD NUMBER OF UNITS OCCUPIED In.comparison with the year 1948-49 a very much reduced area of land was acquired by the Crown last year for the settlement of former servicemen, according to the annual report of the Department of Lands and Survey on the settlement of Crown lands. In the main this was due to the reduced use of the compulsory acquisition clauses of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act. 1943. Whereas in 1948-49 land estimated to give 127 units was acquired by this means, last year’s total from this source was estimated at only 42 units. Negotiated purchases for 1949-50 were estimated to produce a total of 224 un ts against 296 in the previous year, and acquisitions from all sources in the last year were estimated to number 301 units (152.853 acres) compared with 461 units (249.413 acres) in 194849. At March 31 returned servicemen had so far been settled on 1679 units totalling 684,343 acres, and at that time the Crown held 411,211 acres for settlement of servicemen which was expected to provide another 878 units. In the Canterbury land district 42 units totallin*’ 32.426 acres were settled last year, making the total for the district since the inception of the scheme 231 units aggregating 157.030 acres. In all parts of New Zealand 402 units’were settled last year, which is the greatest number for a single year since the inception of the scheme. Canterbury Purchases The following are details of acquisitions made in the Canterbury Land district during the period from April 1, 1949. to March 31, 1950: Purchased by negotiation and possession taken: D. B. Marsden (Eiffelton), 841 acres and 184 acres (lessee’s interest); I. F. Croft (Amberley), 1295 acres; M. and T. T. Bethell (Waikari), 443 acres; S. R. Brown (Amberley), three roods; estate of J. Hadley (Scadown), 583 acres; Army Department (Westerfield), 132 acres; Lyttelton Borough Council (Lyndhurst), 1200 acres (bought improvements only and property leased from council); L. Newton (Geraldine), 623 acres; estate of B. Murray Aynsley, estate of A. Gerard, estate of K. Gerard (Rakaia Gorge), 11,387 acres; < J. R. Dalton (Methven), two acres, a total of 16,692 acres. Acquired under Part II of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act: Mrs P. M. Ryan (Lincoln), 84 acres; J. Grigg Trust (Hinds), 906 acres, a total of 990 acres. Acquired under Section 51 of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act: E. C. and W. T. Anderson (Masons Flat). 630 acres; J. R. Fittock (Highbank), 100 acres; E. A. Gavigan (Timaru). 24 acres; estate of L. H. Mason (Geraldine). 212 acres. During the year the Crown acquired the follqwing properties in Canterbury for purposes other than the settlement of former servicemen:—J O’Loughlin (Kekerangu), 54 acres, for disposal to adjoining owners; T. F. Carmichael (Waiau). 937 acres, to control growth and spread of nassella tussock; estate of J. B. Moyle (Waimate), 511 acres, for disposal to adjoining owners to bring holdings ,ud to econemic standard; L. H. Mytton (Motueka). 372 acres, part to be disposed of to adjoining Crown lessee and balance unsuitable for settlement to be declared as State forest.