SETTLING THE LAND. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 60, 8 September 1909, Page 11

SETTLING THE LAND. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS

DOING. LAND AVAILABLE" IN THE NEAR FUTURE. The Hon. D. Bnddo, Acting-Minister for Lands, was a passenger as far as Marton by yesterday's Main Trunk express, going from there to 'Wanganui. In the course of an interview with a representative of the Feilding Star, he furnished some interesting information in regard to tho progress of land settlement, unhesitatingly condemning as unfounded a statement that the Government was calling a halt in offering Crown lands for settlement. During the last three years — the only years suitable for comparison, owing to the change of tenure^ — the amount of land taken up under the optional conditions suitable for small settlement average^ 533,000 acros per annum, independent of land let for pastoral runs, which averaged 367,000 acres, a, third of which was probably only re-letting, not new settlement, giving a total average per year of three-quarters of a million acres of land. The exact figures showing the nrmber of settlers and area (apart from pastoral runs)_are : — Settlers. Acros. , 1906-7 ... 1677 — 463,000 1907-8 ... 1723 — 640*000 1908-9 ... 2047 — 495,000 At this rate the Jand available for what may be called close settlement would soon be very small, and reliance would have to be placed on land purchased from tho natives or pakehas.under the Land for Settlements Act. At present the total area erf land being prepared for settlement in the North Island was 231,000 • acres, distributed as follows in the provincial districts: — Acres. Auckland ... ... 129,121 Hawkes Bay 37,990 Taraaiaki 39,436 Wellington 24,497 So far as small settlement was concerned, the demand exceeded tho supply ; indeed, for choice blocks, it was very much so, especially when there was eg&y access by road or railway. Pastoral lands did not go off so fast, and sometimes rnns were open for application for a considerable time before being taken up. This was only natural, as the greater number of the applicants only had very small capital, and the large runs could not be worked without consideraoie means. The greater projjortion of the pastoral lands was in the bouth Island, although in some of the high country in tho North Island land was available under pastoral lease conditions. It was evident that Crown lands settlement was as popular now as it had ever been. Taking the Auckland district especially, Mr. Buddo said that the block between Raurimu and Otorohanga was specially suitable for small holdings, and 30,000 acres of it would be cut up into one to two-hundred acre sections. A number of small- holdings would be available in the Te Akau block, and this month 13,000 acres of it would be open for settlement under the optional system, and 30,000 acros under small farm settlement conditions. In March next, he expected to have 15,000 to 25,000 acres of the Piako swamp, especially su ; table for dairy farming, open for gettlemenfc, while 1,300,000 acres of native land, recommended for settlement by the Maori Councils, had been placed in the nnncls of the department for survey. Some curiosity has been evinced us to the improved farm settlements, and Mr. Buddo stated that applications for these- lands were pouring in at a great rate, probably owing to the easy conditions. Selectors were allowed £2 per Sacre np to 50 acres for clearing- their land, and £50 for building and fencing during the first twelve months. These amounts were capitalised on the value of the land. No rent was payable for the first eighteen months, or practically for twenty-one months from the date of selection, and there was no power to transfer until the first rent was paid and the title issued. The total area being offered under this system at once was 65,000 acres, in the Auckland, Wellington, and Taranaki districts. The Minister said the 'conditions named should be sufficient to ensure good settlement and to enable settlers to tide over the fir&t year of occupancy. In one block of 33,000 acres over £10,000 was being spent in making the main roads The land oifered under this system in the Raurimu-Otorohanga block was mofatly fern land, in Wellington district, bush land, and in Taranaki partly bush and partly open land. The Minister has spent a fortnight in the Auckland district inspecting the land to be opened, and, as a practical farmer, is well satisfied with the prospects ahead foi settlers.