CROWN LANDS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXXII, Issue 2767, 26 August 1931, Page 7

CROWN LANDS.

PROGRESS IN DEVELOPMENT. ' LAST YEAR’S SELECTIONS Selections of Crown and settlement lands on all tenures during the year ending March 31, 1931, totalled 368,000 acres, according to the annual report on Crown lands presented to ''‘Parliament. The tenants on the books of the Department at March 31st numbered 37,178, occupying, a .total aiea of approximately .19,300,000 acres. Pastoral runs accounted for over 9,000,000, while 1,872,000 acres of purchased estates were held underlease under the provisions of the Land for Settlments Act. ■ “Good progress has been made in the development of unoccupied Crown, lands, and a considerable area of gum and pumice country is in hand in various localities,” the report says. “The various advisory committees have been busily engaged, with the result that a fairly complete investigation has been made of idle lands remaining in the hands of the Crown. The position is changing from day to day as new areas are reported on, and more detailed reports come to hand on areas already investigated to some extent; but, from the information that has already been placed before the Lands Development Board, it appears that the areas under development,., to be developed, or in respect of which special advances will be .made to the selectors, will amount to about 130,000 acres, which should provide approximately 500 new farms. The greater part of this area is at present almost totally unproductive, and. its development and settlement should mate? ially assist in increasing the production of the Dominion.” r During the year 368,809 acres were taken up on various tenures, the number of selections being 1,649 under all headings. These figures included some 605 sections, comprising altogether an 'area of 97,408 acres,' taken up under miscellaneous leases and., licenses, so that the selections on permanent tenures numbered 1,034 sections, covering a total area of 271,401 acres. ■ “The receipts for the year, from all sources (excluding Discharged ■ Soldiers’ Settlement Account receipts) totalled £1,005,700, a decrease of £269,406 on the previous year’s figures. The sum of £265,625 was derived from ordinary Crown lands, £456,174 from lands held under the Land for Settlement Act ' (including Hutt Valley Settlem’ent and Cheviot Estate), from the national endow- , ment and £109,775 from the education endowment.- Cash received on the . .conversion of leaseholds to fi-eehold tenures showed a decrease of approximately £48,000.