LAND SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20781, 26 January 1931, Page 11

LAND SETTLEMENT.

OPENING CROWN AREAS.

DEVELOPMENTS LAST YEAR

MANY SECTIONS ENTERED UPON

A review of the settlement work carried on by the Crown Lands Department throughout, the Auckland Province during 1930 shows that a large number of areas in widely-scattered parts have been dealt with. In a number of cases extensive development works, such as clearing, loading and drainage, are in progress, but on other areas the development is to be done by the settlers themselves, who may, however, obtain loans to assist then) in this work. Areas are not specially set apart for returned soldiers now, but preference is accorded to their applications. A few years ago, when opportunities in town were much more promising than they are to-day, it was a common occurrence for farms to be abandoned and to come back on the bands of the department, but such instances have been raro in the past year and then it has nearly always been a poor class of land. During the 12 months prior to about last September thero wore large numbers of inquiries for land, but toward the end of the year there was a very marked falling off. This is attributed to the drop in the prices of butter-fat and wool. Nevertheless, where land of good quality is offered, it always meets with a fairly good demand, even if it is in an isolated locality.

Work on Various Areas

Ihe province is divided into two land districts, the North Auckland district, containing about 4.500.000 acres, and the Auckland district, 8.222,000 acres. In tho Auckland area daring last year there were offered for selection 177 sections of rural land, with an area of 54,013 acres. The total selections of rural lands taken up during the last nine months of lastyear amounted to 189 sections/ with a total area of 19,820 acres. Included among these are two estates acquired under the Lands for Settlement Act, which were opened during tho year, and also three areas acquired under .'the grQup settlement scheme. Under this scheme tho owner of land offers the property to the Government for allotment to approved applicants who have already been found bv him.

Ihe estates acquired under (he Lands for Settlement Act are the Mangakura block, of 921 acres, divided into seven sections, 14 miles from Te Kauwhata, and the Puketerata block, of 420 acres' in five sections, half-way between Otorohanga and To Awamui.ii. Of the five areas which have been purchased under the group settlement scheme three have actually been taken up, and two, which have been held up over questions of title, will be ready very shortly. The three which have been completed are the Bushmere settlement, of two sections and 424 acres, 14 miles from Taupiri; Nolan's settlement, of five sections and 443 acres, eight miles from Cambridge; and Walters' settlement, of three sections and 441 acres, nine miles from To Aroiia. The two that remain to be taken up are Nelson's settlement, of 380 acres, divicjpd into three holdings, about two miles from Cambridge, and Morgan's settlement, five miles, from Matamata, consisting of 415 acres, divided into four holdings. Ngakura and Te Kauwhata. TTM. . i 1 1 _ .1 . . l • i

The three development areas on which most active work is going on at the present time are the Ngakura No. 1 and No. 2 blocks, between Rotorua and Atiamuri, and the Te Kauwhata block, all of which are being brought into usefulness under the direction of the Agricultural Department. The Ngakura blocks are of 2203 and 12,000 acres, the smaller having 14 and the larger 40 men employed on them at the present time. On the Te Kauwhata block, of 1800 acres, there are 86 men employed. Drainage, loading and development works were commenced at the beginning of the year by a gang of 20 men on the Onepu block of 3634 acres, near Te Teko, in the Bay of Plenty. About 20 men will soon be employed on the Koromatua block of 833 acres in the Piako County. At Whangarmarino, in the Waikato, 842 acres have been surveyed into holdings, and the work of clearing, ploughing and probably fencing the block, will be commenced shortly. Drainage and other development. works are about to be put in hand shortly at Reporoa, in the Taupo district, on a block of 3215 acres. These development areas total over 23.523 acres, and about 180 men are at work on them.

The department is about to open up for selection two or three small blocks on. which the successful applicants will require to do their own development work. In the Tauranga County a compact block of 584 acres, suitable for development for dairying has been divided into five sections.

To Be Opened Shortly.

Of somewhat similar description are the Mangakickie block, in the Otorohanga County, of 406 acres, divided, fnto three sections; the Titoki block, in the same county, of 766 acres, divided into four sections; and the Kaimango block in the Kawhia County of SB3 acres and four sections. Two thousand acres of the McXicol estate of very good dairying land, 3i miles from Te Aroha, is at present being surveyed into 14 farms. When these sections are opened for selection at the end of April it is expected that they will meet with a very ready demand.

During the year advances, totalling £27.562. have been approved in favour of 65 lessees of Crown land for the purpose of carrying out development work on their holdings, but not all of this has been expended yet.

The North Auckland Land Board last, year offered for selection under the Land Act, 151 rural holdings of an aggregato area of 37,160 acres, valued at £79.130. This was in addition to tlio land available. and advertised in the land guide. Holdings selected during the year numbered 165, of a total area of 22.540 acres and valued at £87,500. In most cases settlers are granted from two to five years' rent free, provided improvements are effected. '

Loans up to 90 Per Cent

As provided in tlie Land Laws Amendment Act, 1929, and in order to assist. settlement 011 (his unimproved connfry, loans up to 90 per cent, of the value of (lie improvements effected are granted to approved tenants. Under this heading 34 settlers have actually r<\ ceived advances to the extent of £2500, while loans totalling £15,000 have been approved and payments are being made as the works are carried out.

Land development work is being undertaken by the department 011 the Wliarekohe block of 3750 acres in the Whangarei district and tenders are about to b» called for ploughing, grassing and fencing. On completion the area will be subdivided and offered for selection as improved country. Proposals for the development of another area in the samo district are under way.

The Department, of Agriculture is conducting experiments on the Kapiro block of ironstone country in the Bay of Islands County. It is too early to arrive at any definite conclusions, opt from experiments conducted so far it seems that the establishment and maintenance of dairying pastures on a largo proportion of the block is economically impracticable. The Awanui settlement of 470 acres near Kaitaia was purchased early in the year and was subdivided into seven compact dairy farms and all were disposed of at the ballot held in Kaitaia in August. Operations under the group system of settlement, resulted in two properties being purchased for subdivision and selection by nine settlers.