LAND FINANCE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 September 1924, Page 5

LAND FINANCE

STATE’S HUGE OUTLAY

HEAVY ARREARS AND .forfeitures.

(By Telegraph.—Special to Star.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 2. The inclusion of soldier settlement m the Lands Department’s operations has brought the financial factor of land settlement into prominence. The annual report shows that rent in arrears on March 31 amounted to £544 448 an increase of £186,223 from last year. A large proportion i§ owing by discharged soldiers holding Crown leases, and the position in this respect will show a great improvement when the work of the district _ revaluation committees and Dominion revaluation boards bears fruit. As regards civilian settlers, no doubt, say 3 the report, a great many who paid high goodwills are having a hard struggle and will require sympathetic treatment, while a certain proportion of the weaker men are gradually being displaced. The following shows the progressive increase in the arrears of rent owing to the department during the last few years:' 1920, £51,801; f 1921', £63,460; 1922, £167,838; 1023. £358,225; 1924, £544,448. The department has made every effort to effect a reduction, but the position is admittedly a difficult one. It might be placed on record that a great number of debtors generally regard the Crown as the last debtor that should be paid, and this attitude is extremely difficult of removal, and accounts in no ; small measure for the volume of arrears. However, judicious pressure will be applied where necessary, and: no effort will lie spared to improve the position. The department has 35,734 tenants, and a rent roll of £1,220,000. Its, capital expenditure on lands for settlement and swamp drainage totals £52,817,000, including £20,074,000 on account of soldiers’ settlement. The annual revenue charges total £2,452,415. , Crown tenants numbering 432 had their holdings forfeited for non-compliance with the' conditions. The area was 222,480 acres and the annual rental £16,190. 111 addition 175 tenants surrendered their leases over an area of 140,672 acres with an annual rental of £5293. Receipts have been well maintained, the total from all sources being £1.329,074, an increase of £120,652 over last year’s figures. This excludes the discharged soldiers’ settlement account receipts.