LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5536, 19 July 1920, Page 2

LAND FOR SOLDIERS.

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS

OVER £19.000,000 SPENT.

Noarlv 14,000 returned soldiers had been provided with land or homes by the Government under tne repatriation scheme up to May 01. The Minister of Lands (Mr Guthrie) told tile House that the number of soldiers placed on rural land was ,6948 the total area being 2,100,000 acres. Of those 1385 men had been placed on purchased estates, 1158 had been placed on Crown or endowment land, and 4405 had been assisted to purchase private land. The number of soldiers assisted to purchase town dwellings had been 0928. The Minister mentioned that the land now- available for soldier settlement or under preparation bad a total area of 691,141 acres, including 56 purchased estates comprising 200,000 acres. The distribution of this land i s as follows: North Auckland, 61,325 acres; Auckland, 92,150 acres; Hawk.c.s Bay. 81.992 acres; Taranaki, 39,834; Wellington, 5695; Nelson, 77,440; Marlborough, 5440; 3830; Canterbury 31,724; Otago, 276,798; Southland, 14,913; total 691,141 acres. The expenditure was summarised bv the Minister as follows:—•

Purchase of 230 estates... £3,743,987 Advances for purchase of private land £7,239,504 Advances for purchase of houses £4,471,884 Advances for stock and improvements £1,985,382 Cost of 58 estates now being subdivided £1,625,631

Total £19,066,368 The Minister mentioned that the average capital value of settlement section® had been £2281, and the average advance for purchase of a house £652.