WHO OWNS THE SOIL. ("New Zealand Herald.")

North Otago Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2081, 3 January 1879, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHO OWNS THE SOIL. ("New Zealand Herald.")

Another section of the census returns has been published. The section relates to the ownership of the land in the colony, the land in cultivation, live stock, &c, and comprises the census tables from X. to XVI. , inclusive. Table X. shows the number and acreage of occupied holdings upwards of one acre in extent, of freehold and leasehold land (exclusive of Crown pastoral lands), classified according to size, in the different Counties of the Colony. The followiug table (No. XI.) gives similar information respecting the unoccupied and uncultivated holdings. The totals of these two tables gave very closely the true classification of the holdings iv the colony. In some instances those who filled up the census schedule did not state the extent of unoccupied laud, no the figure* are absolutely not correct. The total number of occupied holdings is 26,126, and the area of freeholds returned is 8,869,547 acres, 3,709, 525 acres leasehold, from Europeans and natives, to which has to be added 12,690,074 acres leased from the Crown for pastoral purposes. We thus see that at least 22,269, 146 acres are in the occupation of Europeans, and if correct returns were obtainable, no doubt this large area would become still larger. Of unoccupied and uncultivated holdings, there are 2618 in number, comprising an area of 605,931 acroa, so that there is really in the possession of Europeans, leasehold or freehold, occupied or unoccupied, an area of 22,675,077 acres. This is equal to about one-third of the whole area of the colony. From the tables named we compile the following statement :—: —

It will be seen that holdiuga from 20,000 to 50,000 acres is the size which embraces the largest area of land of any of the dimensions given. The number of holdings ranging between these two sizes was 97 — beina:, thus, equal to an average of more than 30,000 acres to a holding. Of all the sizes of holdings enumerated, the smaller ones arc in most request — that is, those ranging from 10 to 50 acres. It is not in the Northern portion of the colony where the greatest demand for these small farms is, but infthe South, where popular opinion indicates that the large f.ums are chieHv to be tound.

Acres inclusive. x )vcr 1 to 10 „ 10 „ 50 50 „ . 100 100 „ 200 200 „ 320 320 „ 640 (540 „ 1000 1000 „ 5000 5000 „ 10,000 „ 10,000 „ 20,000 „ 20,000 „ 50,000 „ 50,000 „ 100,000 „ 100,000 „ Holdings. H439 6257 4557 48(3 2235 2073 793 1016 175 142 97 16 1 Acres. 29,145 198,540 356,732 740,884 575,198 922,125 641,018 2,149,593 1,269,016 2,043,055 2,846,676 1,148,021 165,000