Land for Settlement.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXV, Issue 3850, 3 August 1908, Page 2

Land for Settlement.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Saturday. The annual report of the Lands for Settlement Department states that during the year ended March last 129 estates, comprising 1,033,300 acres, were offered to the Government. Of these 48 were insnected, and the Government was recommended to purchase 35, of an area of 294,521 acres. The transactions completed, including estates agreed to be purchased during the previous year, numbered 16 estates, comprising 126,876 acres, for which £565,727 was paid, whilst £47,967 was expended on roads, workers’ dwellings, and other contingencies. There were also seven estates, containing 7,443 acres, purchased for £334,597, which were to be paid for, and opened for selection during the current year. Rents, interest, and other revenue received during the year amounted to £249,273. The total area acquired up till the end of March last was 1,122,135 acres, for which £4,807,369 was paid, whilst £409,885 had been spent on roads, and in preparing the land for settlement. The capital value of the land acquired was thus £5,217,254. The total area leased is 979,094 acres, held by 4292 tenants. Of this area 679,410 acres are held under lease in perpetuity, 67,017 acres under renewable lease, and 232,677 under small grazing run leases and other tenures. The area opened and unlet at March 31 was 115,184 acres, estimated to Jje worth a rental of £6669.