SETTLEMENT ON THE COAST.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 March 1911, Page 2

SETTLEMENT ON THE COAST.

VISIT OF THE UNDER-SECRETARY FOR LANDS. [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO THE STAR.] WELLINGTON, This Day. Very good progress in land settlement is being made in Nelson and Westland, states the Under Secretary for Lands (Mr Win. C. Kensington 1.5.0.) who has just been through these districts. He informs me that the improvement is mainly due to the special regulations for occupation of pastoral areas in the goldfields, under which a lease of 21 years may be taken with the right upon carrying out certain improvements to convert to the renewable lease.

The Buller Valley is especially showing signs of rapid progress, and the town of Murchison has grown surprisingly. Runanga, the township laid off and administered by the Lands and Survey Department and occupied by employees of the State Coal Mines, was visited by Mr Kensington, who found that the best class-of house had been erected with the result that the township appeared to him the neatest he has seen.

It is probable that the Minister of Internal Affairs will shortly be asked to constitute Runanga a borough for the residents are.alert and progressive. Mr Kensington discussed with them the question of a permanent water supply, and the assistance which the Lands Department will render towards carrying out the scheme which would be greatly facilitated by giving the district control of its own affairs. When at Reefton he discussed a large number of matters with the Chamber of Commerce, among these being the opening up of roads to the Maruia. j noxious weeds on Crown Lands, and the formation of an improved farm settlement in Inangahua Valley. All these subjects will be brought under the notice of the Hon D. Buddo, acting