LAND SETTLEMENT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 245, 13 September 1935, Page 9

LAND SETTLEMENT.

POSITION OF CROWN TENANTS. RECEIPTS OF DEPARTMENT. (By Telegraph.—Special to Standard.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 13. About 30 per cent, of the dairy tanners of the Dominion are either tenants or mortgagors of the Lands Department, according to the annual report of the department presented to the House of Representatives to-day. This fact is given prominence to show that a reasonable increase in the price of butterfat would go a long way towards enabling the majority of Crown tenants to meet their obligations to the department. Despite their difficulties, there had been a substantial improvement in receipts last year. Further substantial remissions and postponements had been necessary, “but,” adds the report, “Crown tenants have faced up admirably to the position and in many cases by diversifying their tanning operations have succeeded in increasing their revenue.” Receipts tor the year (£1,259,000) showed an improvement of £239,592 and compared favourably with the receipts of two years ago. There are arrears of rent totalling £974,805, and the department granted during the year remissions totalling £209,352. The department has approximately 37,000 tenants occupying 19 million acres.

As for land settlement operations last vear, the report shows that there were* 1036 selections, involving 302,000 acres. The small farms scheme has made it possible to bring into production thousands of acres of Crown land otherwise incapable of economic development. , . ~ r It was decided on the inception or the scheme that £I2OO should be the limit to be advanced for the settlement of any one person. “That this limit is not unreasonably low,” states the report, “is proved by the tact that the Small Farms Board has pl ac ~ ed 356 full-time farmers on the land and only in one or two isolated cases has the cost to the board exceeded that limit.” , , , , The board has under development 35,364 acres which will provide 459 full-time farms. This development is giving work at slightly better than relief rates to 1200 men, from whom will be drawn the future farmers for these areas. Thus the small_ farms scheme is providing a satisfactory avenue for the employment of surplus labour, and, adds the report, the question of extending it on more comprehensive lines is one of policy involving such considerations as that of expanding production at a time when produce prices are exceedingly, low and serious marketing problems are facing the Dominion. The Land Development Board did not start new works during the year. It has spent £281,658 and has disposed of 56 sections which bring in an annual rental or interest of £2576.