LAND SETTLEMENT.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1157, 4 May 1894, Page 19

LAND SETTLEMENT.

Wo understand that tho Comniissionor of Crown Lands has received intimation from the Lands and Survey Office that all matters relating to village settlements, under tho Act of ISSG, are in futuro to be dealt with by the Commissioner and tho Minister without interference by tho Land Board. The enforcement of the regulations and such matters as forfeiture, etc , devolves upon the Commissioner. The Commissioner informed the Board yesterday that he would have to keep the settlers up to the strict letter of the regulations, instead of allowing the latitude often given by the Board. Fourteen hundred acres of forfeited sections in Norsewood are to be disposed of under the optional system on tho 20th of June. We learn that there are 80 sections in the various special settlement blocks in this district that are liable to forfeiture or which have been surrendered, the area represented being 13,130 acres. The application of tho Minister of Lands for tho definition of the interests of the Crown in the Waikopiro Block was called on in tho Native Land Court at Waipawa on Wednesday week. It was found, however, that the principal subdivision of the block had been omitted from the cause list of the Court, and the application was therefore adjourned until the 21st prox. The delay, however, is likely to be turned to good account. So far the Government have acquired about 11,000 acres in the block, and in the interval between now and tho 21st May the officers of the Land Purchase Department hope to be able to acquire the interest to another 3000 acres, as there is now greater disposition among the Native owners to sell. It may be remembered that last session Mr T. Parata, M.H.R. for the Southern Maori district, made strong representations of the expediency and fairness of setting apart reserves for the benefit of landless Natives in tho South Island. The matter has net escaped the attention of the Government. Full enquiries have been made as to tho area that would bo required, and the places were reserves could bo most conveniently set apart for the purpose in view'. As a result of these enquiries it has just been decided to set apart 00,000 acres in different parts of the South Island for tho Natives there who have no lands of their ow r n. There are several hundreds of them, and the majority of them live in Southland and Otago, tho Natives of Canterbury and Westland being as a rule much better off. Auckland, May 1. Mr G. Mueller, Commissioner of Crown Lands, acting under instructions from tho Government, has given instructions for two bush village settlements of 1000 acres each to bo laid off on tho road between Kaihu Valley and Hokianga, with the view of giving assistance to struggling settlers, and establishing small homesteads. There are about 14 miles of road yet to be finished between Opunaki and Talieke (Hokianga), and for tho present a portion of this will bo done by co-operative labour, tho men to be employed at bushfelling and clearing, and also at road making. Each of these sections of 1000 acres will afford bush work for about sixty men, and when cleared will be divided into 100-acro sections, which* can then bo taken on peiqjetual lease. Another section of 1000 acres in the vicinity will bo reserved f >r a similar purpose.