LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14461, 2 March 1909, Page 3

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

c AUCTIONS IN CANTERBURY. (Per United Piiess Association.) CIIRISTCIIURCH, February 27. The pastoral leases offered at auction todiiy met with a disappointing demand. Tho sa'e was dull. The two smaller runs found no bidders, and in no case was the upset prico exceeded. The total areaoffered was 172,534 acres. In every case the improvements were slight. The leases were for 20 years, with po-fossion on March 1, 1910. Following aro the purchasers;— Run 20, John H. Scott ; Run 180, Mrs Janet Mnrchison; Run 127, J. G. Scott nnd T. 11. Scott; Runs 181 ami 221. Blanche Murray-Aynslcv, who owns the adjoining freehold; Run 183, A. E. Bi rilling; linn 103, no bid; Run 203, Florence Maud Killiun. A. R. Killian leases the surrounding runs. ASHBURTON, February 27. The remaining portion of the far-famed Springfield EsUite (Metliven)—sl4B acres of line agricultural land—was disposed of by auction in Ashbnrton to-day, in tho presence of nearly 700 funnel's and others from all over the Dominion. Competition was not so keen as was anticipated, and the prices offered did not come up by several pounds per acre to those at the subdivision sale 12 months ago, although a greater area of the land is of equal fertility and productiveness. This may be taken as a fair indication of how the stringency in the money market is affecting country interests. Of 16 blocks offered only seven were sold at auction, at. prices ranging from £10 per acre for medium, to £26 for first-class. Tho parsed-in lots represented biddings from £8 to £27 per acre, the latter being for the homestead block. The total value of the land sold to-day represented the sum of £36,587105. Pour sections were purchased by fanners outside the countv.

March 1. Might- hundred and eight acres at Winslow, originally part of the Longbeach Mstate, were sold privately to-day. 011 account of Messrs E. and J. Gfige, for over £20,000. TIMARU, February 27. About 100 persons attended the sale of five South Canterbury pastoral runs today, and there was keen competition for the small ones at- Mount Peel. The acreages, upsets, linal bid, and bidders were: 2700 acres, £135, £303, A. JlrvcKenzie (present lessee): 2142 acres, £200, £275, T. Blair (present lessee); 1210 acres, £150, £201, Andrew Brown; 585 acres, £75, £143, Dr Knight (present lessee); 20,800 acrcs (Black Forest, Mackenzie Country). £467, £468, R. K. Smith (present- lessee); 4800 acres (Tasman Islands), £49, £61. W. J. Black. All the leases are for 21 vears.