Land Purchase.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 2209, 22 August 1910, Page 6

Land Purchase.

Unlimited Demand for Land. Tlie report of the Land Purchase 'nspeotor under the Land for Settlements Act states that during the year 122 properties containing 281,753 'icrts, were offered to the Government, of which 14, containing 48,287 acres were purchased, but four had not beeu taken possession of. The actual expenditure for the year was £2(50,793 making a total of £5,4C7,792 paid ince tlie commencement of the Act is purchase money for estates conteiu 1,238,09(3 acres. The balance to the credit of the fund at March 81 was £202,197.

The turn of £10,216 was paid nn~ lor sctim 177 of the Land Act, .vhicii gives the right to the owner if a leise in pertuity to purchase the 'ee simple, a>.d £1157 under section 191 of t' e L nd Ac, wh eh gives the owner of a iv.newai 1« loa-'e the right to ray !J0 ner «->> it of the capital value. The Inspector reports that the principle of the Lmd Sttt'ement Ft nanci; Act is go »d, but complaint is made, of the conditions to bj observed before the Board cm consider any H plication for the pu-'chase of an estate. Toe procedure might be much simplified without impairing tlu value of tlio measure. With fewer restrictions and wider powers the general provi ioris of tbe Act would be largely availed of. There appeals, he remarks, to he an unlimited demand for land, but the Board is fac::d with tbe dillictilt ta?-k of finding suitable areas at any thing like a price that will allow of their being disposed of in reasonablesized farms at a rental that will enable the lessee to mike fair living, At no time in the history of the Dominion have the returns from the flicks and herds been as high as during tlie last year. If tbe continuance of the present returns could be depended upon the purchase of estates would be an easy matter, but it must not be forgotten that there have b en times of depression, when the s aple products did not return much more than half what they are doing now, and there i> no saying when the same may occur again. It, therefore behoves the Board to exercise great caution in making any recommendation fo purchase. The value put upon tho bulk of the land offered is such as to p'aaa it practically beyond the reach of the ]3>ard. Notwithstanding the high prices, everything possible is being done to secure suitable properties.