LAND SETTLEMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13647, 15 July 1908, Page 7

LAND SETTLEMENT.

THE DEPARTMENTS WORK. INTERESTING FIGURES. The annual report of the Lands Department opens with some statistics, showing the additional work emtiiled by the passing of the J.and Laws Amendment Act of last session. At the time of the parsing of the Act 2,118,188 aens were advertised in the Land Guide and had to be withdrawn. The lands re-adver-tised for sale or selection (including national endowment lands) in the short lime left before tlhe close of the financial year amounted to 1,277,072 acres. Of this area 72,722 acres were national endownient lands. . During the year under the Land Act of 1892 and the Amending Act of 1907 248,896 acres in the North island and 546,270 acres in the .South Island were opened for sale and selection. Lands under 'survey for settlement proposals on 31st March, 1908, consisted of Acres. Ordinary Crown lands 262,803 National endowment lands . 74,169 Settlement lands 61,868 Total 405,340 The total was (a comparison of the tables show) pretty eveniy distributed over the several land districts throughout the country. LAND HUNGER. " The demand for settlement is still unsatisfied," the report continues, '" and this is evidenced noti only from the number of applicants during 1907, but the same holds good for these, lands opein-d in 1908." There were really three months (November in January) during which no kudu could be offered for selection, heme the total number of selectors and are: s selected do nor, equal those of 1906-7. Lands disposed of for cash increased m number and area, but this is accounted for by the fact that under a special Ait the trustees of tha Canterbury Agricultural College were allowed to pnrclia.se two considerable pastoral areas of 16,400 acies which inbruded into their endowments, and were practically iiiaccess-bie irom the Crown's point of view. Selections under the renewable lease were made during Fcbiuary and March last, both of ordinary and settlement lands 32 se;eetoisi, and 3535 acres representing the liicit period and 151 selectors and 49,100 acres the second period. Of the ordinary Crown lands opened under the optional tenure occiipaL'ion-with-right-ol-piii'c!iu.vß still holds the foremost place. BUSH FIRES. A paragraph outlining the trouble caused by bush fires in both islands fast wiuniiier also gives particulars of the help afforded to set tilers by the Government in the way of supplying them with grass seed. The terms of payment asked in each instance Mere simpiy the hinging of a promissory note for amount owing, payab.e in two, three, or four years, wi'Uioiu any interest thereon being chargeable. 'lhrse very liberal terms were availed of by 647 settlers in the North Island, who have been supplied wuln gruco-seed to the value of £24,082. In the South '-Island six y-seven cases have b-.-eu ilealt with for a value of £2756. IMPROVED FARM SETTLEMENTS. As fallowing the general prosperity of these settlements, blie report states that since the initiation of the system in 1894, to 31«t March last, jinprovememls to the value of £177,537 have been placed on the land, ft is Imped 10 open a number of sec.ions itj flie Waimarino block (near the Main Trunk line.) as many of the n.en now employed will be anxious to settils on the land with lite money they have 'pared. The native lands in the Aotea and Rohepolae districts are considered unsuitable for improved farms. REVENUE. The total receipts for the year amount*ed to £658,794, being an amount considerably in excess of the estimated revenue. Rebates of ren' to the amount of £7820 were granted to 8855 tenants during the twelve months, under the Crown Tenants Rebate Act of 1900, whilst, under the land for Setllenient Consolidation Acl, 1900, 3367 tenants have received rebates amounting t*> no less a sum than £18.575. and the tenants of the Cheviot Set'lemtnt. participated to the amount of £712. The total remissions were £27,108. Accrued "thirds" and "fourths" to the extent of £30,710 were pain over to tfie local bodies for ihe formation and maintenance of roads during the vear. Royalties on timber and flax to (lie extent of £15,434 were ahu> paid over ti. local bodies. Settlers have been assisted by the depart-

ment to establish medical clubs in the outlaying districts, and subsidies amounting to £IO3O (eliieliy in sunisSof £SO) have been granted i'or this purpose under the Land for Settlements Act. Thirteen additional estates were opened for selection, and in nearly all cases the applicants were far in excess of allotment is. available. MAOftl LAND. Negotiations fur the. purchase nl' the following areas of native land have lieen completed :•-■ 1 Acres. Auckland 121,776 Taranaki 127,821 Hawkes Bav 15,ay4 Wellington 109 Total 263,000 ."(Notwithstanding anything tliat has been said to the contrary,"' the report .significantly adds, "the Maori owners hav/ b.en dealt with both fairly and liberally by th<- land purclia.se officers, while the State has no reason to feel difesatiefied with the return it, has received for ils momentary expenditure." NUKSKHIKS AND PLANTATIONS. The report of the afforestation branch shows that very substantial p, ogress- has been made in those nursei ice and plantations where the climatic conditions afford reasonable prospect oi >:;;:e< -.-. As regards the Stai borough Nursery and Dttmgree Plantation tin ..i.uiborough), and the Kurow Nmv>ery in O.ago, elima.tie condhiion-s will I heir early closing. The severe drought at JJiungree points to the absolute furl iii'tv of even Idling in the gaps- in this plan.at ion. Audi it has been decided to disconuinue further planting in that district. The revenue from the State fores* sourcis for the year is estimated at, £IB,OUU, bur. at least £24,0U0 i.s required for the year's operations, so £6OOO will have to" be provided out of the Consolidated Fund. A report prepared by 1.1 r. Cockayne gives .some interesting particulars about kauri forests and the Waipoua State forest. This foirs't, contains abut 180 million superficial feeJ of timber, worth about £50,000, but more than half that area contains no kauri whatever. The Government is now considering the adviaablntSM of reserving 22,000 acres of primeval kauri forest lor all time. The report contains lengthy references to the survey work carried out at Tongariro National Park, and facts relating to the bird sanctuary, Kupiti" Island. Pur drainage work at Piako, from August to March £5070 was spent. Up ta date 29£ miles of drain have been cut, and this year an expenditure of from £l3. 000 to £14,000 is contemplated. Tht- tfitjal expenditure fnr the year amounted to £444,145.