SEARCHING FOR LAND.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 9, 10 July 1909, Page 3

SEARCHING FOR LAND.

■» TO THE EDITOR. Sir, — I have a sou who has spent &ix months waiting, and forty pounds of his small Lapital travelling, for some Government land. Early in the year he heard at the Lands Office of the Waitotara Block, to be opened for selection in March. March came, and the block was to be opened in April. April came, and the block .was to be opened — well, in the fulness of time. In your issue of Tuesday he read that "the Minister" (of Lands) informed a Post reporter to-day that, during the present month 195,925 acres would bo opened for selection in various parts of the Dominion. "Hallo!" said he, "here we are, the Waitotara Block must be out at last." The next morning he hied him off to the Land Office for a "poster." 1R5,925 acres, right enough. But imagine his exhilaration when he perused it. For this is what this imposing 195,000 acres amounts to : — Six pastoral runs, aggregating 178,441 acres (or about 30^000 acres each), two sections in Nelson province (mountain tops), 4400 acres. Add these together, and you get 182,841 acres — residue 13,084 acres. Now, take 35 | sections scattered all over the Auckland land district, total 11,599 acres j four sections in Otago, 972 acres; one section of pumice land in Napier province, 280 acres; and you account for 12,851 acres, leaving a balance of 2£j acres, made un of small allotments" from half an acre to* thirty acres. The Minister is reported to have said the above land "would be opened" in July. Leaving out the six 30,000 acre runs, which have no interest for small men, and for only six men of any kind, I am confident that practically the whole of the land is "sweepings" — i.e., sections which, have been offered for months, and not taken up because of their poverty or inaccessibility. Does the Minister wish to deceive the public, or is he merely ignorant on his subject? — I am, etc., R. [The Acting-Minister of Lands (Hon. D. Buddo) states in reply to the above letter that on 30th June an area of 204,750 acres of rural land was opened for selection in the Nelson province alone. There were included in that area twelve sections of surveyed land, ranging from 132 acres to 600 acres, and 53 sections of second-class surveyed land ranging from 50 acres to 1000 acres. The balance was second-class unsurveyed land, which can be had in areas in conformity with the Lund Act. That 204,750 acres is in addition to the 196,000 acres opened for selection during this month in other provincial districts. Tho Minister says that there is no area of land in close proximity to a railway or harbour which could be cut up into grazing runs. Crown lands so situated are reserved for small settlement, such as is provided for under the Lands Improvement Act. It is hoped that between 200 and 300 sections will be placed pji offer under the Lands Improvement Act next spring. The land is at present being fcurveyed.l