Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 1907 TE ARAI ESTATE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 11116, 2 November 1907, Page 4

Poverty Bay Herald PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, SATURDAY, NOV. 2, 1907 TE ARAI ESTATE.

j It is a- matter for general congratulation that 'the legal formalities m connec•tion with. the compulsory resumption of ;Te Arai estate for the purposes of closer ! settlementj are noW almost at an end and that there is a prospect of the land being submitted for. selection^t an early date. The award given by the Compensation toourt this morning assures the compleI'tion of the purchase by the Crown and 'gives every prospect' of tenants being ■placed upon the property at such moderate (rentals as will ensure'-.-' the success of ith'e settlement. It may be roughly estiimated that the cost to the Crown of the Jpurchase of the estate will' be an average Jof £10 15s per acre on the whole estate/ as the Act provides that the rental [shall be based at 4i per cent, on the cost ithis will work out so that the property jmay be offered to the public at an average rental of about 10s, 6d per acre.- Of "course the flat land will be valued, much prigher than the hill, but on the average |10s 6d per acre will be the rental, and *at this figure we should imagine there jis sure ; to be a great .rush of applicants' ;for' sections. The estate is affirmed by those who are' qualified" to ' speaik as one rof the most suitable -for the purposes of jclbser settlement that has yet been acqnr ;ired by the Government, lending itself most admirably to subdivision, and it cannpi but be a benefit to the 'district that 'this great property, formerly carrying sheep and cattle, should be converted into small farms with, smiling homeSteads: m which will; be located a considerable industrious farming population. The acquisition of the estate give k good' impetus to farmin|^ fruitgrowing, and other kindred industries. WevWould urge' that np time shoulfl be f losjt in'Oorapleting: arrangement for -the^ttle/nent; of the; estate. The ; Q^neil/and. occupier have .; been given by the Court t3ie right ip retain possession until March 31st, but there is no reason why the cutting up and selection should not haye^been completed before that date so that the Crown tenants may step , m oh April Ist. Indeed it is imperative, if the settlement is to go off with a good start that this should be so, as the date mentioned gives farmers none too much time to prepare for the winter. We understand from Mr Barron, iChairmaft of the Lartd Purchase Board, that with the delivery of judgment m this compensation case his .duties m connection with the purchase practically end and that the Subsequent dealings m the settlement of the block will be undertaken by the Hawkers Bay Land Board and the Crown Lands Department. It is for the Land Pepartment to approve of the cutting up and to place the rentals on the sections, their adjustment being sent to the Minister for approval. There is no reason. why these details should not be completed and the selection 1 arranged, say, for the middle of February, which would give the successful applicants an opportunity to acquire Stock and to be m readiness to enter upon their holdings on April Ist. For the same reasons we hope to see expedition made with the disposal of theKanaekanae estate, another very desirable property that has been acquired by the Crown. The Land Purchase Board must be congratulated on their judgment m securing for the people two such choice estatss as Te Arai and Kanaekanafe to satisfy the earth hunger that is felt m this district -in a stronger degree pro-: bably than any other portion of New Zealand. We are sure that the eagerness with which the sections will be sought after will both justify" the wisdom of the purchase' and give .an imperative demand for further acquisitions of a similar nature. It is only by pursuancp of a policy of closer' settlement of people upon the land that the district will be made to realise the great possibilities that nature has given it m its fertile soil and bountiful climate.