LAND REPORT

Evening Star, Issue 14414, 9 July 1910, Page 5

LAND REPORT

SOME FACTS ABOUT SETTLEMENT,

[From Our. Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, July 9.

The number of new settlers of all classes for the past year amounted to 2,582, who with their families, may be estimated at 8,000 souls. The total area opened during the year for all classes of applicants amounted to 2,326,037 acres, and the total area disposed of in like manner was 2,431,145 acres. Rinds under survey on March 51 and being prepared for settlement totalled 1,510,885 acres. Tenures on which land was opened during tho year were made up as follows; Optional system, 152,483 acres, Renewable lease—Ordinary Crown lands, 59,946 acres; national endowments, 276,242 acres. Land for settlements, 92,890 acres. Improved farm settlements, 46,792 acres. Cash by auction, 1,424 acres. Lease by auction, 9,011 acres. Village allotments, 263 acres. Small grazing runs, 299,281 acres. Pastoral runs—Ordinary Crown lands. 975,209 acres; national endowment, 417,596 acres. Total, 2,326,037 acres, or 1,514,622 acres in excess of last year’s figures. Crown tenants total 26,498, holding 18,722,779 acres; rental therefrom, £577,693. Revenue from national endowments, £78,408. Last year 615 selectors took up 1,024,557 acres.

Tho total gross revenue received by the several receivers of land revenue amounted to £674,907, or £15.893 over tho estimated gross revenue. This falls short of last : year’s gross receipts by £21,468. The ; territorial revenue received was £201,257, j against an estimated revenue of £224,000. I ibis is entirely for by the diminution of cash sales. The lessees of ordinary Crown land have received rebates of rent to the amount of £9,688, and tho tenants under the Land for Settlements Act . and Cheviot Estate total £22,149.

It is open to doubt, says tho report, whether the system of granting rebates of rent for prompt payment is based uixm sound business principles; it is not carried out by private persons, and, considering the low rentals paid as a rule by ordinary Crown tenants, and, moreover, taking into consideration the fact that in regarl to another class of tenants under the Land Act, 1908—viz., pastoral licensees --where the Act directs that a fine shall be imposed if the rent when due is not promptly paid, it seems difficult to understand why differential treatment should bo meted out to the ordinary Grown tenants.

In Otago tho revenue—£los.2s8 —has been up to the estimate. Although the gross receipts show a shrinkage of £18,827 19s 2d on those of last year, almost entirely duo to the fact that in Let year’s return “cash sales’’ was credited with the price of Crown lands converted into land for settlements, the price yielded nearly £16,010. The number of tenants increased from 3,896 to 4,068. The outstanding feature of this year's dealing with Grown lands has been the cutting up and offering for sale of the Morven Hills, Kawarau, Matakanui, Ida Valley, and Linnburn runs in Central Otago. The arrears of rent in Otago are less than 1 per cent, on the gross rentals, and forfeitures and surrenders were below the average. No l.i.p. tenures were exchanged for renewal leases or converted into freehold. Tho principal transactions during the year have been in small grazing runs and pastoral runs. Of the former close on 500,000 acres have been taken up during the vear by forty-one selectors, and of the latter leases over nearly 1,000,000 acres have been purchased by fifty-three selectors. The year has been a busy one in Otago. Tho principal areas of land to bo offered next year will be the subdivisions of Avimoio and Rugged Bidges runs (near Kurow), Ormaglade (near Beaumont), Benger run (near Roxburgh), and Nortliburn mu (near Cromwell), These will be offered mostly as small grazing runs. Ac to land for settlements in Otago, no new settlements have been offered for selection. Of three allotments open for selection at the beginning of the year, a large section on Kauroo Hill Settlement was taken up. The transfers which have taken place in respect to settlement selection have all shown considerable, though not extravagant, amounts for goodwill, thus giving evidence of the increasing value. The only selectors who have taken advantage of the provisions of the Land for Settlements Act in respect to exchanging leases in perpetuity tenure for renewable lease are the tenants on Duncan Settlement, vvlio thereby secured a. considerable reduction in the cap.tal values of their holdings, as well as the reduction from sto per cent, on the capital values. Speaking generally as to the settlers under the Land for Settlements Act in Ocago, they are making very steady and satisfactory progress, although they have been under the great disadvantage of an excetpionally dry summer. On the whole the settlers have had a good year, and generally are well satisfied with their prospects as tenants of the Crown.