THE LANDS DEPARTMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2111, 9 August 1894, Page 35

THE LANDS DEPARTMENT.

(From Otjb Own Correspondent.) Wellington, August 1. The annual report of the Lands and Survey department which was presented to tho House last evening shows the operations of the past year to have been aa follow:— Cash, 500 selecors, 34,999 acres ; deferred payment, 96 selectors, 12,668 acres; perpetual leas>e. 17 selectors, 3854 acres; occupation with right of purchase, 471 selectors, 108,499 acres; lease iv perpetuity, 255,348 acres ; pastoral runs, 227 selectors, 898,945 acres. The total number of selectors under all headings as compared with last year shows a decrease of 195— a decrease due fco the fact that the area of Crown lands to select from was very much less and often very inaccessible. In many districts the want of available land is felt severely, and is retarding settlement to a considerable extent. The mean prices at which land has been disposed of were : For cash, 13s per acre ; for occupation with right of purchase, 14s 9d ; for lease in perpetuity, 17s 6d. There remain about 4,000,000 acres of Crown lands which can be utilised for settlement and pastoral purposes. Under the Special Settlement Association scheme 10 blocks have been balloted for during the year, the number of selectors being 290, and the area of selections 68,582 acres. Ih village settlements only 53 selections were made, with an area of 1021 acres. In order to furnish employment for men oufc of work, and with the idea of settling them on the land a new departure was made in setting aside areas of forest reserve, to be cleared by the men. Over £3000 had been spent in this work. In reference to the Cheviot estate there are 126 holdings already occupied, and 70 houses erected. There are 58,720 sheep and 358 cattle on the estate, aud the population has increased from 81 in 1891 to 650. The annual rent now payable is £13,960, and the cash sales amount fco £30,665.