THE SELWYN ESTATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13055, 21 December 1905, Page 5

THE SELWYN ESTATE.

• ■ ■■» ... TO-MORROW'S BALLOT. SECOND AREA .TO BE OPENED IN MARCH. Tire first portion of the Selwyri Estate, which Las been acquired by the Government for the purpose of close settlement, will bo balloted for to-morrow. The area now being disposed of consists, as has already been explained, of the southern portion of the estate, and comprises a total of 50,987 acres. The land has,been subdivided into seven dairy farms, varying from 301 acres to 579 acres, 14 ordinary farms, varying from 58| acres to 1065 acres', 10 small grazing runs, varying from 2829 acres to 5620 acres, and 151 village allotments, from a-quarter aero to 10 acres. . For the dairy and ordinary farms 15 applications have been received, covering six of the dairy farms and 12 of the ordinary farms. One application has been received for one of the grazing runs, and 10 applications for four of the village allotments. The applicants will be personally examined before the Land | Board to-day, and the ballot will take place ! to-morrow morning, commencing at 101 o'clock.

Tho Land Board, at its meeting yesterday, decided to throw, open the northerns portion of the estate in March next. This portion, which is considered to bo equal to, or rather better in quality than, the southern portion, consists of 43,296 acres, of which 20,179 acres is classified as second-class land, and 23,117 acres as third-class laud, the latter being divided into live grazing runs. Tho areas are subject to amendment, and the question of capital values and rentals is to be left to tho discretion of the Commissioned of Crown Lands, who will appoint a valuer in connection therewith. A portion of this block is to be reserved for the establishment of experimental farms by the Agricultural Department. These farms will be chiefly devoted to tho cultivation of wattle.. • •'■ - .

The residue of the estate consists of some 60,000 acres of land carrying milling timber, which will be disposed-of as occasion arises. Several applications for areas of this timber have been already received, but it has not yet been decided whether to dispose of tho timber now or to reserve iit until. other milling forests are exhausted. The timber consists, principally' of totara, rimu, and matai. ■