REPORT OF THE CROWN LANDS COMMISSIONER.

Wellington Independent, Volume XX, Issue 2235, 22 July 1865, Page 6

REPORT OF THE CROWN LANDS COMMISSIONER.

The above Report is now before us and we beg for the information of our readers to lay beforo them a short account of it. It would appear from the Returns appended to the Report that the land .sales of two periods of about six years each are compared, tlie first commencing from the date of Sir George Grey's Land Regulations and ending on the 23rd* Juno 1859, and tho second extending from the latter date to May 31st, 18G5. The comparison shows that fully one third more land was sold and Crown Grants prepared for more than six times the quantity of land during the second period than the first and that during the second period Crown Grants were prepared for land exceeding in amount half tho total quantity sold therein, leaving arrears to the extent of glliß. New regulations have also been adopted in the preparation of Crown Grants, by carrying out which the Crown Lands Commissioner Mr W. ITitzhcrberfc is of opinion that in four or I five years the preparation of them would overtake and thereafter keep pace with tho sales of land. After stating that the increase in tho amount of land sales in tho second over the first period is attributable to the sale of 5s land he points out in order to correct the misapprehension which has existed in the public mind in reference to the system of disposal by auction of pastoral lands at the upset price of ss' an acre, that tho system has already yielded to the Treasury £85,987, to which is to be added a sum of at least £37,000 for lands nnder process of sale, making a total of £122,987 being proceeds of sales from pastoral lands as compared with £74,681 proceeds from sale of all other description of lands (town, suburban, and rural) sold within the Province during tho same period. " In order to estimate tho effect of the expenditure of £123,000 on the progress of public works throughout tho Province, it is necessary to admit the current year into the account, as a part of the proceeds are still accruing, and it will then bo a simple calculation to determine the extent to which the construction of Main and District Lines of Road would have been affected, on the assumption that a sum of £123,000, being at the rate of nearly £18,000 per annum for seven years, had had to be subtracted from the net sums made available for these services. But this is not all that may be observed on this subject, for the Crown Lands Commisioner, from valuable information which lie has gathered, is enabled to affirm as follows viz. : — " 1. That nothing could be more unreasonable than to fix an uniform price on all the lands of a country so variable in it character. 2. -''That, taking an average, tho dearest land which has been disposed of during the last six years, has been the 5s land, and the cheapest the 10s land. " His conclusion from these pi'emises is, that if it be thought advisable to sell no more pastoral land at ss, it ought to be a first condition that the standard price of agricultural land should be raised above 10s." Tho following returns are also appended to the report viz. : — A schedule of the duplicate maps, a return showing the amount of land awarded to retired officers, and discharged, sailors and soldiers. A return containing the names, appointments &c, of the several surveyors at present employed in the Provincial service.