LANDS FOR THE SETTLERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 341, 30 October 1908, Page 7

LANDS FOR THE SETTLERS.

BLOCKS TO BE OPENED UP.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands, Mr James Mackenzie, reported to yesterday's meeting of the Land Board that he had just been through the settlements in the southern Wairarapa district,and had visited Dyer Tawaha, Tablelands, Hikawera, Longbush, ancf jUabupuku, all in the neighbourhood of Maryborough. Ho had found the settlers in good , heart, and prosperous, and the land looking well. He passed through the whole settlement, and , there was practically no growling. _ "I have never seen," continued the commissioner, "a better lot of settlors than there are there. We seem to have got the settlers who suit tho land. There are a couple of Maori families, and they are doing just as well as the white people. Ihe land was bought at a reasonable rate and the rentals are within the reach of the settlers, so that they are well able to make ends meet." Mr. Mackenzie went on to say that as the board would bo "on the move" during the whole of December, with the 'exception of the holidays, they would allow tho December meeting to lapse, and hold the next meeting after the' New Year. The board would bo holding ballots up the Main Trunk line as far as Taumarunui, and the last ballot would take place there about December 11. A great deal of land would be opened up. -One of the last for the year would be the Hawtrey Settlement, Johnsonville, and it would be offered on December 18. Later, there would be a block of 20 lots (comprising 14,178 acres) at South Waimarino, and nine lots (10,000 acres) of the Rangitatau Block, on tho Waitotara River; also two lots in the Momohaki survey district, comprising 2371 acres. The Carrington Estate, near Carterton, 5132 acres in 28 lots, would be balloted for in February, and would bo taken over.in the following month: Altogether they would have a very busy year. The unoccupied Pitt, Melling," and Hall-Jones Settlements, at the Hutt, were now being prepared for sale, and would be offered early in the year. The Mowhanau Village, near Wanganui, would be sold by auction for cash in 11 lots, and several othor lands would shortly be disposed of. There,would be in the Awarua district (Kawatau) three lots, comprising about 3000 acres. Two lots (658 acres) in tho Makotuku survey district (late McDonald's run) would be offered early in the year, and 36,000 acres in the South Waimarino Block, now under survey, would be ready for settlement about 1910.