SETTLEMENT IN THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7649, 28 May 1886, Page 5

SETTLEMENT IN THE NORTH.

The Government are about to make a vigorous effort to place people on land in the North, under their scheme of village settlements. The Minister for Lands, Mr. Ballance, has appointed Mr. John Lundon to go into the detail of the work, to find the moat suitable men, and to place them upon allotments of good land. Mr. London intends to commence operations in the Bay of Inlands and Hokianga districts. These districts are perhape the most suitable in the colony for the method of settlement proposed. There is abundance of excellent land, and the instruction* of the Minister of Lauds are that the settlers are not to be located except upon good land. The climate is warm and genial, and a largo quantity of valuable produce can be grown upon a comparatively small area. There are 600,000 acres of Crown laud in the Hokianga district, and we believe that Mr. Lundon anticipates being able to settle there 1000 families. Mr. Percy Smith, Deputy Surveyor-General, has been instructed to send a surveyor with Mr. Lundon, aud to give him every assistance to locate the settlers. The land is to be held on a perpetual lease for a term of thirty years, and for subsequent terms of twenty-one years The rental is to be based on the capital value of the land, which is to be 20? per acre. The rental of a twenty-acre allotment will therefore be £1 per annum. No charge will be made for the lease beyond the sum of 10s for registering the same in the Land Transfer Department. Married men are to have the preference as selectors. The allotments are not to be more than 20 acres. Subject to such conditions as the Steward of Village Settlements may prescribe, and within the first five years of the date of selection, an advance of £20 will be made to assist a selector in the erection of a house ; and in bush lands a further sum not exceeding £2 10s an acre will be advanced for bush felling and for grassing. The annual rent to be 5 per cent, on the capital value of the land, to follow with 5 per cent, on such sums as may bo advanced payable half-yearly. Conditions are prescribed as to improvements, Each selector shall within two years cultivate one acre, and within four years the half of the remainder of his selection. Selectors cannot subdivide or sub let, but, with the consent of the Commissioner of Crown Lands for the district, may transfer them. No person who has any interest in any land in the colony shall be eligible as a selector. Each selector will be allowed to take up only one section. Mr. Lundon goes to Wellington by the first steamer, but will return in a few days, and thereafter will be ready at once to locate