INFERIOR LANDS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19992, 8 November 1927, Page 12

INFERIOR LANDS

SEVERAL BLOCKS TAKEN A SATISFACTORY RESULT. [ Special “ Chronicle ” Service. ] WELLINGTON, Nov. 5. Very satisfactory results attendee the second offering of inferior lands made by the Minister of Lands at Auckland at the end of last month. In the Riverhead Block eight sections were offered and for five of these there were 54 applicants. For the remaining sections 10 men applied, but since none of the applicants were considered suitable this land was not allotted. This result is immensely in advance of that which attended the first block of lajids thrown open to selection under the Minister’s scheme, whereby settlers are to become the holders of the fee simple of the lands if they farm them satisfactorily for a given period and spend specified sums in improving them. The first choice was given in two blocks, one eight miles from Te Kuiti and the other eleven miles from Atcamuri. Eight of the 13 blocks at Te Kuiti were taken up, but none of those at Ateamuri. The Minister of Lands (Hon. A. D. McLeod) gave his opinion that the first offering the financial conditions were unfavourable, and that ho would awa.it a test at a more satisfactory time before passing judgment on the merits of the scheme. For the most-sought section at Riverhead there were 15 applicants and for others 12 and 11 applicants.