Report of the Land Department.

Otago Witness, Issue 1501, 21 August 1880, Page 22

Report of the Land Department.

The receipts from land sold during the nine months ended March 31st were: —Cash, L 97.72 1; scrip, L 1942. The land selected up to March 31st, 1880, was L 729.307 acres; rents paid, L 256,48 0; land forfeited for breach of conditions, 71,123 acres. Number of pastoral licenses issued during the nine months, 64, of which 32 were in Otago; lands held under pastoral license or lease, 11,972,809 aores; rent, L 63,812. The report says :—" Of a total of 718 settlers who on the deferred payment, agricultural homestead, and village settlement conditions selected an aggregate of 95,000 acres during the year, no less than 310, representing 48,000 acres, were of the last three months. This acceleration of settlement is likely to continue next quarter, as there are many inquiries lor lands, and several suitable blocks in both Islands are advertised as open for selection." Speaking of the settlement clauses, the report sftys:—"With the exception of about 200 settlers in Otago and Southland districts, who are in arrears about L9OOO inpayments, there has been no difficulty in administering the system. Of the 200 it can be said that they have no desire to shirk their engage* ments, but in the eagerness to possess land it was run up at auction beyond its value. Many of them are much in arrear, and will pay up, but there are others who cannot. It would be unwise to visit on them the full rigour of the law, as though their misfortune were their fault. A much better plan will be to offer land for public sale, and affordthem an opportunity of getting value for their improvements should others purchase the land, and they have to retire from it." At the end of the report is the following memorandum from Mr Rolleston :—": —" Having regard to the large amount of land which has been recently divested of the Native title and become Crown lands in the North Island, it is desirable that steps should be taken to set apart blocks of the best land in every district for the purposes of settlement, under the deferred payments and village settlement sections of the Land Act. For these purposes blocks of land from 5000 to 10,000 acres should be selected at convenient intervals, according to the general features of the country. My own observations lead to the conclusion that land put up for immediate sale falls into the hands of speculators, and probably the best plan would be to obtain a report from the Commissioner of Crown Lands and the Chief Surveyor recommending the lands to be set aside. A map showing theße blocks would be a useful addition to the 'Crown Lands Guide.'"