LAND SETTLEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 18729, 3 September 1924, Page 10

LAND SETTLEMENT

LAST YEAR’S RESULTS.

SUBDIVISION. DIFFICULTIES.

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 2. The Lands Department snows in its annual report that during the year 593,771 acres were taken up under, all tenures by 2,088 selectors, the average holding being about 284 awes. There is good demand-for land in favorably-situ-ated localities, but attractive Crown lands are naturally becoming less in area as the settlement of the country progresses. A table of the areas under survey for settlement shows a total of 177,049 acres, the largest areas being in 0tag0—59,840 acres. There is no land under survey for early settlement in Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, or Canterbury, but the total areas actually open at present include areas in all the provinces aggregating 468,817 acres. Westland contributes 140,139 acres to’ this total. The department states that the Undersecretary is approached from time to time to purchase estates in favored localities for subdivision, this, of course, being the function of the land purchase controller. Experience has proved that unless lands are acquired for subdivision at _ a price based on average sheep values it is not possible to cut up estates into dairy propositions and offer the same for selection at suitable rentals. Good lands suitable for dairying in the dominion are generally linnly hold, and it only possible to acquire them at a price which immediately presents difficulties when _ subdivision is proceeded with. The policy of the department for closer settlement must bo on sound lines regarding all purchases for subdivision, and so long as the sheep industry continues in its present flourishing condition it will be well nigh impossible to acquire desirable and suitable lands for closer settlement. Again, the question of the actual sub-divisiou of property, bought at what would appear a reasonable figure, presents difficulties, as the overhead charges are at once multiplied, and the final result of subdivision is that it is difficult to maintain the original value as a whole, either in pounds, shillings, and pence, or in carrying capacity.