The Village Settlements,

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 172, 21 July 1888, Page 3

The Village Settlements,

Full details respecting the land settlements in the North effected about eighteen months ago under the charge of Mr John Lundon, have been forwarded to Wellington by Mr Percy Smith, Assistant Surveyor-General. The returns have been compiled by Mr Kavanagh, village steward, and may be depended upon as beng strictly accurate. The returns will be embodied in the report of the Minister of Lands, and laid before the House. The following are the main points : — There are at present on the land in the different settlements 404 men, 241 women, and 791 chi dren; they occupy .18730 acres. The live stock in their possession is as follows Horses, 146; bul ooks, 48; cows, 175; calves, 107 : pigs, 95 ; poultry, 2238. Value of live stock; £1519; iruit trees plan ed, 12,913 ; acres of bush felled, 1721 ; acres in gras-, 253 ; chains fencing, 1392 ; whares, 128; houses completed, 188; in erection, 40. The advances made amount to £5BOl ; the improvements are valued at £7551. 143 sections which where taken up by applicants in t wn have never been occupied. Ten sections have been abandoned, and on these, advances have been made to the extent of £126. These sections will be awarded to others who are willing to pay for the improvements. The above figur s represent the state of the settlements on the 17th May last. It may be remembered that the Government have not done anything like the amount of road work in the districts which was intended to be done. This stoppage of road works has, of course, retarded the prosperity of the settlements, and perhaps may account for some of the abandonments, although these have been very few considering everything. The scheme of settlement was commenced about eighteen months ago, but some of the settlers have gone on so recently that their first rent-payment at the end of six months is not yet due. It must be kept in mind that the first year’s crops is not likely to be so good as succeeding crops,. as the land is somewhat sour on first being broken up. But as it is, some excellent returns have been obtained by tbese settlers.