LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume 1327, Issue 1327, 3 September 1906, Page 4

LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT.

THE ANNUAL REPORT. [BY TELEGRAPH. — SPECIAL ; CO-RESPONDENT.] -Wellington, Sunday. The report of the working of the Lands for ."Settlement Consolidation Act shows ■ jj that the lauds purchased ; under the Act during the 3past year amounted in value to £780,633. ;: The expenditure on roads, surveys, and other items amounted to -iti £47,422, and a interest on debentures to j.-< £162,760. The total "in credit at the end \ of the year was £1,394,899, thuu showing .\J a balance of £404,074 to begin the new , "'"' year. with. The value of the land paid '"'! for at March 31, 1906 (including expenses) -J was £4,408,394, and the receipts for last "| year were equal to 4.57 per cent, of that .'• sum, although 16 estates,■ which cost Aj £229,996, had not been opened for "selec- <:'1 tion, and in 40 estates laud .valued at -| £8182 per annum was unlet, and conse-, '] quently yielded no income. There were- ','.! 22 estates finally paid for last year, hav- t \ ing an area.; of 269,399 acres, and of this \ area six estates, containing 242,403 aire-, were opened for selection. Besides these \ '*! completed purchases there were eight estates, with an area of 17,773 acres, the < purchase; of'.: which was-arranged for at a | cost of, say, £134,944, payment for which \ will come into 1906-7. There were pur- /J chased 1,3 estates of under 200 acres each, ] and nino estates over that area. The ■>' smaller properties are near towns and are partly intended for workers' dwellings. "\ The distribution is as follows:—Estates: Auckland five, acres 159,574; Wellington, - \ 11, acres 26,529; Marlborough one, acres 45,368; Canterbury three, acres 15,993; Otogo two, acres 21,929; Southland nil. \ Total; estates 22, acres 269.399. Th« \ total area now owned by the Crown in j the land for settlement account is con- \ tained in 158 estates, of a total area of 985,623 acres. Within the 142 estates ''4 opened for selection there are 754,887 £ acres leased [to 35561 tenants. The fol- 'i lowing is the usual summary: —Estates purchased at March 31, 1905: Number ?$ 136, acres 716,224, prime cost £342,015; \ : estates purchased during the year 1905- I 6: Number 22, acres 269,399, prime cost "| £780,633; totals, number 158, acres ;,| 985,623, prime cost £4,122,648; acquired, | but not paid for; nor prepared for selec- \ tion: Number 8, acres 17,778, prime cost i £134,944. ".