LAND SETTLEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22878, 5 November 1937, Page 9

LAND SETTLEMENT

PROGRESS IN WAIKATO ALLOTMENT OF 13 SECTIONS AREAS NOW FULLY' DEVELOPED [from ouu own correspondent] HAMILTON, Thursday ( One of the main objectives of the , Wajkato Land Settlement Society has , been reached by the , allocation- of 13 sections to individual settlers on terms which will enable them to become the owners of the freehold at the end of a period of years. There aro a further 19 sections to be alienated, but these and other sections will be released when they are fully developed. The object of the society has been to cultivate the areas to a point when they have become fully productive, and the tenants aro in a position, not only to make a living out of t'ao sections, but to bo able to pay interest on the purchase price, and instalments off the price at which they were assessed when they took possession. Tho .new owners have been selected from men who have been in occupation for varying periods up to three years and who have proved their suitability as prospective settlers. During these periods they have been paid for their services from funds allocated by tho Unemployment Board. Fully-stocked Sections Tho society has released five sections ou the Kairangi block, Roto-o-rangi, and eight on the Karakariki block, Whatawhata. Varying in size from 50 to 100 acres, tho sections arc fully subdivided and grassed, and supplied with water. Each section is equipped with a dwelling, milking shed and farm implements, and is stocked with a dairy herd, the average size being about 30 cows. Before making tho allocations, the directors of the society made independent valuations of the properties, based, not on the capital expenditure "involved, but on the productive value. The prices of the sections ranged from £2O to £3O per acre, according to the locality, productive capacity, size, and quality of the land. Finance for Settlers Finance was also supplied to the settlers to enable them to make a start with dairying on their own account under the most favourable conditions. Interest on the purchase price has been fixed at 4J per cent, and the agreement between the society and the tenants provides for tho repayment of the advances and the purchase price by instalments extending over a period of 30 years. In order to prevent speculation, the purchasing settler is debarred from selling the property without the consent of tho society and the Minister of Finance, the Government being interested by virtue of the advances it has made to the society to enable it to carry on its development work. In addition to the blocks it is developing at Roto-o-rangi and Whatawhata, the society lias 3800 acres at Wharepapa, which it is conducting as a sheep, and cattle station as the area is being broken in. The society hopes to release some of the sections on this estate to individual settlers next season.