Crown Lands Report

Southland Times, Issue 19367, 18 August 1904, Page 3

Crown Lands Report

THE YEAR'S TRANSACTIONS. £ ACTS AND FIGURES. By TelegrapHy (From Our Special Correspondent.) weixington; Aug. 17. The annual report of the Deportment ot Lands and Survey was laid before Parliament this alteration. The gross total of the Crown lands opened for. lease and sale amounted to 2,570,816 acres, and if the estates acquired under the Lands for v Settlements. Act are added, the aggregate is 2,714,147 acres: Deducting 2313 acres submitted on cash tenure, and , 1809 816 acres as pastoral runs, it will bo seen that 902,016 acrea were thrown open on settlement conditions or in small areas. This, however, included 294V869 acres' re-opened. During the year, no fewor than 477,953 acres were opened on the optional system, conferring the right of choice of the three tenures— for cash, occupation witl> right of purchase, and lease in perpetuity; > V: '•■";'. 'y. ■",;, ' ".. - •'■' ; v 'v ; \/ SUMMARY. 'i .• ]■'{";''' ■"; A- : summary- of ; the year's transactions. sticks that the number' of electors was 2818, ancTtiie area, taken ur *,624,946 acres, and the cash received w a s £497,---211. The principal selections were :— On lease in perpetuity 489 selectors, , 102, : 370 acres, -revenue- £35,296 ; occupation with right of purchase 402 selectors, 146,952 acres, £37,135 ; miscellaneous, leases and licenses 593 selectors, 111,622 acres, £11,144 ; improved farm Bettleaaentsion lease in perpetuity, 106 selectors; area 19,435 acres, cash £4401 ; small grazing runs, 39' selectors, 105,049 acres; cash £27,336 ; pastoral runs, 129 selectors, L956,581- acres, cash £70,S3B-; under Land for Settlements Act: Lease in perpetuity, 406- selectors, 92,144 acres, cash £12®,116. The total transac- • tions show an increase of 566 1 compared with those of 1902-3 : the area and increase of 35,279 acres, and the gross receipts an advance of £48,831. Sales af laid for cash realised £25,789, or jlust about double those of 1902-3. As (might be expected, says thei report, the applications for leaseholds fell, off more than-cme-third. The. forfeitures and surrenders nunVb-erei 46& and included an area of 415,701 kcres, exceeding those of 1902-3 by ee^a^V-'^^vw-v^^-^y^2^.'3:39-acres: -The total number of;: selectors upon the bpoks of "the land officer if 21,101 They occupy an area of 16,885,868 acres and pay an -annual rent ;of £389,329. The total revenue ' for the year (£497, : 211) shows an: increase of £48,83> over the year. : , : , LAJSTD HUNGER: ;

No less than 588 co-operative workmen applied for land under the improved farm settlement system, and it would have taken 111,500 acres to satisfy their requirements. I,t being found imposslblo to dd tjiis. .preterence Avae .given in roost

case 3 to married men, and 123 married men and 20 single men secured holding? containing 27,059 acres. GENERAL. The rangers' report shows that 8886 inspections were made. The value of the improvements required was £745,*671, and the value of those actually made was £1,G53,G74. There were 1299 defaulters 609 for noiiimprovenients, 631 for noni'OSidonee, and 59 for other reasons. Nineteen blocks of Crown lands, valued at £81,857 were, loaded with .£23.490 for the construction of roads. The arrears of rent and instalments on all systems total 76(5 selections, and £8611 in amount, a considerable reduction on th<? previous , year. The forfeitures of Crown tenants' interests under all tenures amounted to 309, covering an area of 264.899 acres. The- annual rental for the whole amounts to £2391. Regarding land for settlements the report states that, with few exceptions, the settlements have made fair to excellent progress ; their condition is satisfactory, and the future prospects of the tenants are, on the whole, j most hopeful and encouraging. I