LAND SETTLEMENT ACTIVITIES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 213, 8 September 1945, Page 3

LAND SETTLEMENT ACTIVITIES

DEPARTMENT’S ANNUAL REPORT Wellington, Sept. 5. The activities of the Lands Department during the year were concentrated largely on the acquisition and preparation for settlement of suitable areas to meet the requirements of discharged servicemen, states the annual report on the settlement of Crown Lands for the year ended March 31 last, which was presented in the House of Representatives yesterday. The report states that it was considered that in the light of existing circumstances it was necessary to acquire for subdivision practically fully-developed areas which were not dependent on I’beral applications of fertiliser and which could be subdivided immediately and settled once reading and building programmes were completed. The Te Wera Estate, 9922 acres, was the only block under development in the Gisborne district. It was acquired in 1927 since which date it had been under development and run as a statoin. Arrangements were in hand for its sub-division and settlement by ex-servicemen.

Two abandoned Crown securities, containing 1287 acres, were the only areas being developed and farmed in the Taranaki district. These areas during the year were disposed of to civilian selectors. Five areas in the Napier district were under development—Kakariki, Kaheka, Waihau, and Parinui, approximately 31,798 acres, and Ahuriri Lagoon, of 7753 acres. All blocks experienced unseasonal autumn weather but benefited from a mild winter; wool-clips were considerably above average, and the sheep came off the shears in good condition. Work was confined mainly to maintenance. On Ahuriri Lagoon development operations limited to some 53 acres in permanent pasture and the erection of further subdivisional fencing. Supplementary feed crops did well, and a record number of 13,500 sheep was wintered. A satisfactory wool-clip was obtained, and some 12,900 wethers were killed and frozen, which was also a record for the block. It was intended to offer Waihau and Parinui Block for ex-servicemen early in the New Year. The only area in the Wellington district was an experimental development area of 100 acres at Tangimoana. Conditions had not allowed an extension of the work.

Four properties are under the control of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Blenheim, a fully developed orchard property of 68 acres; Moles-worth-Tarndale Station, containing 239,500 acres, Sedgemere Block, of 1200 acres, which was taken compulsorily in terms of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act, 1943, and Greenhills Block, 4909 acres, at Kaikoura.

Referring to the operations of the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act, the report states that contrary to expectations the Act had not had the effect of discouraging people from entering into contracts for the sale and purchase of land. In the three years immediately preceding the enactment of the legislation there was an average of 28,201 transfers for land registered annually. These were classified as 22,947 urban and 5251 rural transactions. During the 12 months under review 37,038 applications were received, of which 32,07' concerned town properties and 496) ountry properties.