The Daily News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1900. SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 196, 20 September 1900, Page 2

The Daily News. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1900. SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

The Superintendent of Settlements, Mr. J. E. Marsh, who has for many years done excellent service for the State, shows a zeal, capacity, and intelligence tbat is most praiseworthy. Under date 30th June last, Mr. March forwards to the Surveyor-General returns giving full details of village settlement under village homestead regulations; and also a return of settlements of this class under other tenure, from which the following interesting information is available:—The total number of settlers under all systems, including those on endowment lands, on March 31st last, was 1954, the area held being 42,614 acres, and the annual rent and interest £6178. During the year 68 sections were taken up under village homestead regulations, and 22 under other tenure, the aggregate area being 1799 acres—more than twothirds in the North Island. The total area laid down in pasture or cultivated was 26,576 acres, and the amount advanced to the settlers for houses, bushfalling, etc., was £25,932 18s sd, of which £2936 has been repaid, £2273 of which was in the North Island. The forfeitures and surrenders during the year numbered 39, of these, 26 sections were under village homestead regulations, and 13 under other tenure. The number of settlersin arrear totalled 240—196 under village homestead regulations and 44 under othor tenure; and the total arrears of rent and interest amounted to £1,481 Is Id, of this £1,229 5s 7d was in the North Island. The number of souls on the lnnd in connection with the Village Homestead Settlements was 4657 on the 31st March, and the value of improvements effected was, under Village Homestead regulation?. £135,107; under other tenure, £24,150, totalling £159,257, of which £80,906 was in the Xorth Island, The term, it may be explained, includes a number of small allotments which are kid out in connection with larger farms, and are intended to provide homes for settlers, who must depend for subsistence on employ mint obtained in the neighbourly d for part of their time, The village', as s'stel in the Crown Linds repot'*, fo in useful adjuncts to settlement operations carried on on a larger seal-', by fupp'ying labour, and at the suae time almic of the formation of homes in tl e hands of freeholders or os Crown tenants, As the limit of the size varies from fractions of an acre to 100 acres, the wants of a numerous class are met by this system. The tenure varies from freehold to lease in perpetuity. Mr. March refers to bis former reports on the unsatisfactory condition of several village settlements in the Auckland district, chiefly owing to their position and the class of people who took up the land when the scheme was first initiated. The arrears of rent in that district are still very considerable, and a large proportion of these arrears are on sections that have been abandoned and remain unoccupied. In other districts he reports that the settlements under village homestead regulations are progressing satisfactorily, and the system having been in operation since May, 1886, may, he thinks, fairly be considered a success. The number of original settlers who took up hnd under these regulations, Mr, March states, was 2190. A large proportion were in the distriot of Auckland, and it was soon found that many of them were not suited to make successful settlers, and they accordingly left. . Others gave up their sections on the ground that tha areas were too small, and being a long distance from any employment they could not make a living. A number of the original selectors, however, improved their holdings considerably, and have been enabled to dispose of them to advantage. Several of these settlers have taken tip larger areas under a different tenure, and, Mr. Marsh sayp, he knows of many others anxious to do the same, Of the original selectors, the faci remains that nearly 50 per cent, are scill on the hnd. During the year, 90 new selectiors were mad* ; of these 68 sections were taken up under the village homestead regtila' ions, chiefly in the Wellicg'on and Southland districts. The capital value placed on the land when first disposed of was £92,574; theiimount advanced to settlers 'ess r«payrwntp, £22,996 ; total amount received from settlers as rent and interest £39,374; value of improvement)now on the land £135,107 ; deducting amount advanced from p esent v.ilut there remains as rf presenting thq v«lue of the work done by sottlers £112,111. Outside the jurisdiction of Mr. March as superintendent of village settlement s propsr there are a'so in existence 50 improved farm settlements (including iidditions to old one?) extending from Auckland to South l ir.cl, witli a total tjrgregate area of 76,069 acie-, origi.i----•tlly selected by 749 set'l-.r. 3 , averaging 101 acres each. The bulk of thefe s-ittlements are in Taranakiand Wellingt>n. Oa March 31st there wen 499 s-.Ulers in occupation and 1079 persons resident, the arei occupied r>eing 53,319 acres, The area within i he settlements tfcat had been filled was 21,943 acres, and the. area grassed wa* 23,673 acres. Over 7000 head of cattl are running on the farms. Tha total amount paid to the selectors for clearing, grasping, etc, amounted to £64,786, whilst the value of the improvement on the land was £95,394 The rest aa<J interest received last yew

was £2,552. It will be noticed that the,'; success attending this class of settlement is so far very varied. In the Auckland district few of the settlements appear to be nourishing, whilst in Taranaki, Hawkejs Bay, and Wellington, a large proportion show every prospect of becoming self-supporting, especially where dairy factories have been established. The SurveyorGeneral, in his report, remarks that it can scarcely be said at present that some of the settlements have advanced beyond the experimental stage, " TJn-' der favourable conditions as to position, sail, etc., the improved farm settlements offer industrious settlers a chance of making homes for themselves that in the liberality of tha conditions has never been equalled in the colony"