The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1912. SETTLEMENT IN QUEENSLAND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 55, 29 February 1912, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLER. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 1912. SETTLEMENT IN QUEENSLAND.

According to returns just issued settle-, meat of tho land is still making very considerable advances in Queensland. These returns show that there was much activity in the Lands Department of that State during 1911, and that there was an increase in the quantity of land selected and in the amount of the revenue and rents received over the preceding year. The figures given are: Area selected, 6,261,719 acres—in comparison with' 5,819,713 acres in 1910; the number of selections 3-110, as compared with 3246; the total revenue reached £813,612, while the previous year it was £727,253; and first year’s rents amounted to £37,440, as against £36,489; and the timber revenue was £52,360, compared with £36,603 in

1910. In the revenue from pastoral occupation, rents of holdings, and occupation licenses, there was an increase of £19,877; the total amount received was £345,473, while the rent from selections increased £35,564, and reached £329,556. There were

thrown open to selection during the year 770,900 acres for agricultural farms and perpetual lease, agricultural farms and unconditional selections, and agricultural farms only, and agricultural homesteads; 982,204 acres to group selections of agricul-

tural farms, prickly pear and grazing selections; under the Closer Settlement Act 63,373 acres prickly pear selections, beside those for groups,

1,1-10,010 acres;'grazing selections, 1,701,157 acres, and Tree homesteads, 1505 acres, makii/g a total Tor the

year of 7,705,977 acres. There were selected 2010 agricultural farms, covering. 711,733 acres; the agricultural homesteads, free homesteads, unconditional selections, and perpetual leases amounted to 37,059 acres; grazing farms covered 1,702,100 acres; grazing homesteads,- 2,720,300 acres; and prickly pear selections 1,020,015 acres, the total amount being 0,201,719 acres. During the last month of the year there were selected 598,901

acres, /being 7.3,008 acres more than the corresponding month of the previous year. “Dalgety’s .Review” considers that these figures manifest unmista'bly that the truest advancement of the State is taking place. The increase of the population on the land is an indication of real progress, and creates a solid basis of prosperity. To stock and cultivate the soil must ever ho the fundamental sources of national wealth. The occupier of the land provides the means hy which all classes arc benefited. The manufacturing industries, commercial enterprises, and the golden links of trade that hind the nations together, and tend to keep them in peace and prosperity, all come from the keepers of the sheep and cattle and the toilers who plough and sow the soil and reap its harvests. Queensland is forging its way as a primary producer, and laying a foundation for further mercantile and manufacturing developments in days to come. The Tender-Secretary of Lands has just stated that during the ensuing year there will be, by re- j sumptions and the opening of other] areas under survey, about ‘20,000,000 of acres open for selection, and every facility will be given to meet the

constantly increasing demands of selectors. Though this ,may he true enough the occupants of laud in (Queensland have problems to face w■ liicli are unknown to settlors in this favoured Dominion, and while the chances of more rapid success are possibly greater, there arc also the chances of the most severe; reverses to Ih> faced owing to climatic conditions. A Stratford resident who is in touch with friends settled in the State referred to has recently been advised that the outlook at this present time is not nearly so promising.

AN AUSTRALIAN VIEW. Referring to that portion of the Governor's Speech delivered at the opening of the New Zealand Parliament, the Sydney “Telegraph” remarks that the fact that the Government proposes to ask for power to resume for closer settlement freehold estates ol an unimproved value of £25,000 and upwards compulsorily need occasion no surprise, and goes on to say: “But the terms of the bargain to bo offered to the landowner are certainly unusual. The Government may notify a holder of, say, 5000 acres, that it wants his land for closer settlement, and will pay him £lO an acre for it. Then if the land, when cut up for closer settlement, fetches only £8 per acre from the settlers, the original holder can get no more than £8 an acre, but if it fetches £l2 an acre, the original holder will receive the inlf amount. This is equivalent virtually to the Government saying to the large landholder, ‘Wo order you to sell your land, and wo shall compel you to obey our order, but wo shall have nothing further to do with the transaction. Your purchase price will he whatever amount the intending settlers choose to pay for it.’ This method of doing the business keeps the Government out of the transactions in resumed lands altogether. ?t can make neither a profit nor ,a loss out of such lands. It represents merely the force which compels the owner to put up his property for sale, and to offer it to small farmers, under the ancient system of competitive bidding. One of the chief dangers of such ,a system may prove to be the scope which it will afford for combination between the settlors to keep down the price of land, and so to compel the landholder to accept whatever they offer him. The settlers will fix the price; the Government will compel the landholder to accept it. Those interested in the land question .everywhere will watch closely, if the New Zealand bill becomes law, to see if substantial justice can he done in that way.”