PROGRESS OF SETTLEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 1970, 22 August 1889, Page 10

PROGRESS OF SETTLEMENT.

Mr J. Aitken Connell sends the following article showing the relative progress of settlement in the North and South Islands during the year 1888-89 to the New Zealand Herald :— The report recently issued by the Crown Lands department will bear perusal in detail by any persons interested in the progress of settlement in New Zealand. It will probably surprise a good many persons to find that during the past year settlement upon the Crown lands of the colony has been proceeding on a more extended sc&le in tbe North Island than in the South, and that a larger number of settlers have acquired Crown lands both by purchase for cash and also upon settlement conditions in the provincial district of Auckland than in any other provincial district in the colony. It is noticeable that the average area taken up by each settler in the Auckland district is considerably smaller than iv other parts of the colony —a. circumstance, however, which gives us a larg' r resident agricultural population in proportion to the area settled, and speaks well for the capabilities of our agricultural land to support such a population. The figures are as follow: — Lands .Puhchaskd Outright for Cash ob Scrip

Totalthree chief districts South Island 225 39,971 Taking every description of selection — whether for casb, deferred payment, or perpetual lease — we find the following to be the result for each provincial district : —

land ... ... 524 70,071 As showing the existing trend of settlement in the colony on our agricultural lands the importance of the above figures will be at once apparent. It is noticeable that during the past year settlement in the provincial district of Auckland alonp on our agricultural Orown lands has almost equalled tbat of the chief districts of the South Island— Canterbury, Otago, and Southland— sl9 settlers having taken up 61 547 acres in Auckland as against 524 settlers taking up 70,071 acres in these districts of the South Island. The average extent of the holding of each settler in the Auckland provincial district is slightly less than that of the settlerß in the South Island, whilst; the average in Hawke's Bay and Wellington is about three times as large. This is without doubt owing to the much greater extent to which the land is used in these districts for purely pastoral purposes. Comparing the two islands, we have again 897 selectors ia the North Island, as against 524 in the South Island, and an area taken up of 217,706 acres in the North Island as against 70,071 in the South.

As showing the improved condition of affairs, 257 new accounts were opened in the Auckland Savings Bank for the month of July, representing all classes of labour and trade. Fifty-seven married women, 25 single women, and six widows are among the new depositors. To Ovbecome Weakness. — Pepper's Quinine and Iron Tonio gives New Life, Appetite, Health, Strength, and Energy. Cures Nervoue Debility, Neuralgia, Indigestion. — Half-crown bottles. Everywhere. Insist (on having Pbppeb's.

, JNo. of Area . Purchases. Purchased. ! Acres. Utcklaud... ... 269 25,620 rfawke'B Bay ... 16 8,381 Wellington ... 40 11,298 Averag Price. 8. d. 11 6 10 2 20 6 total three chief districts North Island 325 45,297 Canterbury ... 60 5,216 )tago ... ... 123 10,917 Southland ... 22 4,345 38 7 17 2 14 7 Fpfcal three chief dlstricts South Island 195 20,478

Oh Settlement Conditions oy Residence .wid Improvement.

ijjiiXDnniw jfA.xjno.jnx. No. of Area Average to Selectors. Selected, each Selector. Acres. A. B. p. Auckland ... fis 7.287 HI 1 0 rlawkeß' Bay ... 22 4,047 183 3 34 Wellington ... 36 12,548 348 2 10 Petal three chief districts North Island 123 23,682 Canterbury ... 34 782 23 0 0 Dtago ... ... 31 5,876 189 210 Southland ... 39 2,964 121 1 5 total three chief districts South Island 104 9,622 PERPETUAL LBASE. Auckland ... 185 28,640 154 3 9 rlawke'sßay ... 88 45,094 512 1 10 Wellington ... 176 74,793 424 3 34 Dotal three chief dis- ' tricta North Islaud 449 148 t 527 Junterbury ... 57 6,783 183 3 25 }lngo ... ... 117 21,892 187 018 Southland ... 51 12,296 241 016

No. of Selectors. nd „, ... 519 Kawke'a Bay ... ... 126 Wellington ... ... 253 Area Selected or Purchased, Acres. 61,547 57,523 98,637 Total for three chief districts of North Island ... ... 807 Canterbury ... ... 141 ■)tago ... ... 271 Southland „. „, 112 217,706 11.781 38,685 19,605 Total for three chief districts of South Is-