LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 7, 8 July 1909, Page 2

LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT.

c A REQUEST FROM WAERAR'APA. THE HAUTOTARA ESTATE. A deputation, which had been appointed by a public meeting at Martinborough., waited on the ActingnMinister for Lands (Hon. D. Buddo) yesterday, and urged the Government to acquire the Hautotara Estate, of 17,000 acres, which is under offei to the Land Purchase Board at £7 an acre. The denu tation was introduced by 'Mr. W. C. 'Buchanan, M.P. The Minister, in answer to a remark by a member of the deputation, said the Government had not refused to acquire the estate. U merely said that it could not consider the offer owing to the difference between the ratable value and the price sought. In the course of a discussion, iM'Leod said that no doubt if the Government acquired the land it would cost a lot of money. The JMinistea 1 : 'And we will be taunted in the (House with wild and extravagant expenditure. 'Mr. Buchanan : The Opposition have ■never objected to the expenditure of money in regard to the settlement of the land. The 'Minister said that if there was one thing more than another to which the Government could lay claim, it was an honest desire to have the lands of the Dominion settled, and settled in small areas. No less a sum than six million pounds had been spent by the Government in the acquisition of land. The popularity of the land settlement system was contributed to by the fact that the _ Land Purchase Department confined its recommendations to land which was easily accessible by road or rail. Hence, settlers were more readily attracted to the lands because they knew they would be able to get their produce to market at comparatively small cost. Land which was not easily accessible frequently had to be advertised time after time. The small settler with limited capital could not afford to settle in the backblocks, owing to the cost of transit of his requirements and •his produce. As to the Hautotara Estate, he said the fact that it was principally grazing land was against it 'It must be borne in mind that there were large areas of Crown lands, somewhat remote it was true, lying idle at the present time. These lands were being offered by the Lands Department, but were- not being taken, up. Pressure should not be brought to Dear on the acquisition of what was purely pastoral land until the land he had mentioned was taken up for grazing purposes. If the estate was acquired and subdivided, he had no doubt it would all be taken up. The question was : Would it take a sufficient number of settlers to warrant the Government in acquiring it? In this case there was an extraordinary difference between the ratable value and ihe price sought by the owners. He was prepared to recommend the Land Purchase Commissioners to make a, careful valuation of the property and submit a report. When that came to hand he would give his reply.