CLOSER SETTLEMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 73, Issue 429, 21 November 1930, Page 8

CLOSER SETTLEMENT

WELL KNOWN PROPERTY BOUGHT GOVERNMENT’S PLANS [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Nov. 20. The purchase by the Government of portion of Mr John MacLennan’s ‘ Rylands” property, two and a half miles from Waipukurau, was announced by the Minister of Agriculture (Hon. A. J. Murdoch) on behal" of the Minister of Lands to-day. The area of 1244 acres, was acquired under the Land Settlements Act and it is the Government’s intention to carry out closer settlement upon it as soon as possible. No statement was made concerning the price. Comprising good flats and slightly rolling country, the area is all ploughabe. It ifj served by a good metal road and is suitable for subdivision into four farms for class farming. The Minister said the survey of the block would be proceeded with at an early date and it was expected that subdivisions would bo offered for selection by ballot in February.

Completion of this purchase brings the total area purchased by the present Government for closer settlement, since it assumed office, to 65.894 acres, at a cost of about £670.000. Up to last September a total of 189 new “ had been placed on the land. The Lands Department has recently been engaged putting into effect' a

scheme for the extension of group settlement authorisation for which was contained in this year’s Act. Suitable areas for the prosecution of this work are being investigated. Cabinet recently authorised £34,000 for developmental on several large blocks of Crown Land upon which settlers are to be placed, or on which they are already installed.