CROWN LANDS.

Dominion, 24 February 1913, Page 5

CROWN LANDS.

PROGRESS OF SUBDIVISION.

AN OFFICIAL RETURN. AREAS TO BE OPENED IN MARCH. . Statements that the aggregation of land is proceeding apace in the Taihape and Mangaweka districts wore published.recently by a country paper and repeated by a local Opposition journal. When the matter was'mentioned to tho Prime. Minister ho pointed out that tho allegations wero general in .character. In any part of the Dominion,' however, the limitation provisions of the Land Act and 'of the amending measure of last session would apply both in the case of owners of Crown laud and in,that of owners.of private land, who sought to become owners of Crown land. The limitation clauses, Mr. Mnssey added, might not prevent aggregation altogether, but they were designed to prevent it as far as possible. "If a man can't live on, his section," continued tho Prime Minister, "ho must get a sufficient area to enable him to make a living, and that is what is going on repeatedly. But while it is almost impossible to stop occasional aggregation, it is a fact that for every instance of aggregation there are twenty instances of subdivision." . : Interesting light is thrown on the posi-' tion regarding subdivision of land by n return which ha.s been furnished to the Lands Department by Mr. W. SI Hardv (supervising eolesman). Mr. Hardy, an officer of the headquarters staff of tho Lands Department, has been detailed hv' the present Minister for Lauds (the Hon. W. F. Massey) to supervise all arrangomcnt.i for placing land en the- market, to report regularly to the Minister for Lands and generally to carry out his instructions regarding the opening of land for jott ement. The return deals, with the lands which will be avrilable for settlement during March. Following are its details:— • AUCKLAND DISTRICT. ■_ _ ■..■..'• .'..\ Area in Tenure.. Sections. Acres. Optional , ,-.„ 102 2.1.232 Renewable lease ................... 21 " 12,658 Auction (cash) ..!.....:...„....... 57 20 Small grazing runs , 4 10.562 ■.Hnurnki pastoral license 1 710 Education reserves-.!.; '12 2,509 . Totals; ....'...... 297 49,737 HAWKE'S BAY DISTRICT. . Renewable' lease (land'for rettlements) 21 IG.IM Auction 2 „ 201 Tolals ,'......;... ~■..'. 23 1C,3G4 ' TARANAKI DISTRICT. - ; Auction'. . 8 '•' G4 WELLINGTON DISTRICT. ' Optional ...; 1!) 9,010 Renowablo lease 7 413 . Totals .....„.....'..:..;...;...' 2d''. 9,453 Total for North Island:—3s4 sections (75.G18 acres): . • MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT., Optional -......'......;....'..„.....:... ~11. 9,998 . WESTLAND.DISTRICT. ..''•;■' Renewable lease- ...,..........:,... 6 1,515 Auction , ...;...,. 39 19 Totals ■■ :.L:..,.i:.:. ~45 1,534 'CANTERBURY DISTRICT.; • Renewable lease (land .for .settlement) ..... 39 19 ; OTAGO DISTRICT. Optional 1- 220 Renewable lease :.•..........'.,.... 18 1,281 Itenewablo- lease (land for settlement) ...:... 1 430 Auction , ......'..!...,.... 30 39 Totals ......„;.....'. 50 , 1,985 SOUTHLAND DISTRICT. Optional • ~..„..... '8 . 5,553 Renewable'lease. ..'. 11. 1,990 Renewable lease (land for ! settlement) 10'■'■" 3,369 Totals \.......„......... 29 ■ 10,912 Total for South' Island:—ls7 sections (85,816 acres). , , '" ' ' v Grand total for the Dominion:—sll sections, comprising. 161,434 acres. .-' ■.' Many of the sections to bo auctioned ops finifi.ll (own-sections.' In other cows tho iroodwill of leases. and not the fecsimplo "will bo sold'by auction., • Tho abave particulars ' relate' 'only to lands which will definitely be Opened for settlement during March. Other larjre areas nro iii preparation. In Tnranaki, for instance, tho lioard expects to open for settlement shortly areas aggregating 50,000 acres. ■'•'. • <'