SETTLEMENT OF CROWN LAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 16925, 10 August 1918, Page 9

SETTLEMENT OF CROWN LAND.

INACTIVITY OF GOVERNMENT. Complaint regarding the inaction of the Government in settling Crown lands was mado at the Auckland Chamber of Commerco yesterday, 1 lie president, Mr. 11. Burns, cited the caso of a man who had applied to the Commissioner of Crown i Lands, Auckland, for a block of 15,000 acres of Crown land in his own namo, and ' 5000 acres in his wife's name, situated at Whirinaki and Rangitaikei, between Taupo i and Urewera. He had asked to be allowed ' to take up the land either under the small 1 grazing lease system or occupation with 1 the right to purchase. Ho had stated in 1 his application that he was prepared to ■ spend £30,000 in developing the land, apd 1 thai ho would not press for roads until tho 1 Government decided on a reading policy. 1 After, waiting a considerable time for an 1 answer ho had asked the Chamber of J Commerce to take the matter up. The i Commissioner of Crown Lands had in- i formed the chamber that he had no power • to entertain applications to select land in 1 the area and in the manner suggested. < In reply to a specific inquiry,*the Commis- 1 sioner stated that the land had been the ] property of the Crown for a number of years, and had not been placed' on the ( markot pending arrangements for survey, 1 reading, etc. ' i Mr. Burns said that this fact indicated 1 that the Government was not doing all it 1 could to .«*pttle valuable Crown lands. 1 It was agreed to make representations to ] the Government regarding the matter. c