"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900" (REPORT ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1906 Session II, C-05

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Session 11. 1906. NEW ZEALAND.

"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900" (REPORT ON).

Pretented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with Subsection (2) Section 73 of "The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900." '

The Land Purchase Inspector to the Right Hon. the Prime Minister. Sir, ~ Land for Settlements Department, Wellington Tv a , , • 19th Ma y- 1906 - -* *v I 6 , hon ? ur to submit a report of the operations under the Land for Settlements (Vet for the year which ended on the 31st March, 1906. At the beginning of the financial year the account opened £ s. d. with a credit balance of ... ... ... 507 _ r. During the year debentures were sold amounting to ... 4731725 0 0 Rent, interest, credits, and recoveries amounted to ... 10 0 Making a total at the credit of the account during the year of £1,394,889 7 7 Land purchases during the year amount to ... ... 780,632 12 5 There was expended on roads, surveys, raising debentures, and departmental expenses .. ... ... _ _% q k Interest on debentures amounted to ... ... ... 162*760 3 7 Leaving a balance in the account to begin the new year of 404,074 11 2 £1,394,889 7 7 The Land for Settlements Account may be thus stated:— D F- . £ Cr. £ Loans raised ... ... ... 4,584,507 Purchase-money 4 122 648 Rents, &c, received 947,040 Incidental expenses ... '.'.' '285746 Interest 719,078 Balance ... ... ... 404,075 £5,531,547 £M31^547 The value of the land paid for at the 31st March, 1906 (including expenses) is £4 408 394 and th \ X^Z ta a& T ! a 1 ye f u are e l ual * 0 /5 7 P er cent - of that sum > although sixteen estates, which cost 4229,996, had not been opened for selection, and in forty estates land valued at £8 182 Der annum was unlet, and consequently yielded no income. ' There were twenty-two estates finally paid for last year, having an area 0f'269 399 acres • and of this area six estates, containing 242,403 acres, were opened for selection.

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Besides these completed purchases there were eight estates, with an area of 17,778 acres, the purchase of which was arranged for at a cost of, say, £134,944, payment for which will come into 1906-7. There were purchased thirteen estates of under 200 acres each, and nine estates over that area. The smaller properties are near towns, and are partly intended for workers' dwellings. The distribution is as follows :— Estates. Aores. Auckland, 5 ... ... ... ... ... containing 159,574 Wellington, 11 ... ... ... ... ... „ 26,529 Marlborough, 1 ... ... ... ... ... „ 45,368 Canterbury, 3 ... ... ... ... ... „ 15,993 Otago, 2 ... ... ... ... ... „ 21,929 Southland, ... ... ... ... „ 6 22 269,399 A statement of the present condition of the various settlements will be found in the Report of the Lands and Survey Department. The usual tables required by the Act are appended. The number of properties inspected on the ground was 111, of which nine were in Auckland, twenty-four in Hawke's Bay, thirty-nine in Wellington, twenty-three in Canterbury, fourteen in Otago, and two in Southland. These properties range in area from 5 acres to 30,000 acres, the total area inspected being 469,000 acres. The Land Purchase Board held forty-five meetings during the year —viz., five in the Auckland District, five in the Hawke's Bay District, one in Taranaki, twenty-three in the Wellington District, six in Canterbury, three in Otago, and two in Southland. The purchase of 311 estates, containing 911,118 acres, was considered at these meetings, and of these estates sixty-one, containing 241,103 acres, were recommended for purchase. The Government approved of the recommendations concerning fifty-four of these estates, having an area of 236,584 acres. The total area now owned by the Crown in the Land for Settlements Account is contained in 158 estates, of a total area of 985,623 acres. Within the 142 estates opened for selection there are 754,887 acres leased to 3,556 tenants. They have 579,833 acres in new grass, 61,670 acres in white crop, 35,980 acres in green crop, and there are 177,404 acres in native grass, bush, scrub, orchard, swamp, gardens, &c. The number of live-stock amounts in all to 709,645 sheep, 49,995 cattle, 10,781 horses, and 2,643 pigs. Proposals for the purchase of some large estates in Auckland, Hawke's Bay, Otago, Nelson, Marlborough, Wellington, and Canterbury are now under consideration. Prime Cost. The following is the usual summary:— Number. Acres. £ Estates purchased at 31st March, 1905 ... ... 136 716,224 3,342,015 Estates purchased during year 1905-6 ... ... 22 269,399 780,633 158 985,623 4,122,648 Acquired but not paid for nor prepared for selection 8 17,778 134,944 I have, &c, A. Barron, Land Purchase Inspector, Chairman of the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners. The Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, Prime Minister.

P.S.—Since the above report was put into type the Minister whose effective policy directed the operations of the Department ceased from his labours. As the administrative successor of John McKenzie, Richard John Seddon displayed in this part of his government equal vigour and foresight in a wider range. He was prompt in his dealings and steadfast in his purpose to meet the wants of the people of New Zealand. Some of the results of the administration by the Government of which these two Ministers were powerful members are given in this report. 14th June, 1906.

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TABLE A.—Summary of all Lands offered to the Government under "The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900," and its amendments, from 1st April, 1905, to 31st March, 1906, and how dealt with.

TABLE B.—Return of Lands recommended for Purchase by the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners under the above Act from 1st April, 1905, to 31st March, 1906.

Estates offered. Not recommended for Purchase. i Recommended for Purchase. Under Consideration by the Withdrawn from NegotiaBoard on 31st March. tions. Total. Land District. No. Area. No. Area. i No. Area. No. Area. I No. Area. No. Area. I I Auckland Hawke's Bay .. Taranaki Wellington Nelson Marlborough .. Westland Canterbury Otago Southland 56 34 10 102 1 3 2 63 31 9 A. K. P. 236,231 3 38 290,267 0 0 15,568 0 0 62,218 3 39 4,480 0 0 45,278 0 0 7,794 2 0 120,274 1 11 116,801 3 30 12,204 0 20 911,118 3 18 26 9 4 68 I ' A. E. P. 86,194 1 38 ! 10 : 63,990 0 0 I 7 i 5,667 0 0 1 12,603 1 31 i 23 A. B. P. 13,184 2 0 66,515 0 0 3,780 0 0 27,260 2 12 19 14 5 7 1 1 A. K. P. 130,853 0 0 134,832 0 0 6,121 0 0 2,320 1 36 4,480 0 0 16,673 0 0 1 4 A. P.. P. 6,000 0 0 | 56 24,930 0 0 34 10 20,034 2 0 102 1 3 2 8 2 0 63 31 9 A. P.. P. 236,231 3 38 290,267 0 0 15,568 0 0 62,218 3 39 4,480 0 0 45,278 0 0 7,794 2 0 120,274 1 11 116,801 3 30 12,204 0 20 911,118 3 18 4 2 2 35 16 6 28,605 0 0 7,794 2 0... 67,028 1 21 10 22,230 1 34 j 8 ■ ,1,935 0 0: 2 35,798 2 0 94,496 0 0 69 0 20 17 7 1 17,438 3 30 75 1 36 200 0 0 i 311 168 306,048 1 4 61 I 241,103 2 32 72 312,993 3 22 j ! io 50,973 0 0 311 " THE LAND FOB SI ITTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900," AND ITS AMENDMENTS.

Land District and Vendor. Area under Consideration. Price asked by Vendor. Price offered by Government. Remarks. Auckland — W. Hall .. .. ; B. H. Watt .. E. Wood Executors of W. Pairburn Mangawhero Estate (Assets Realisation Board) Mangapouri Estate Waimana Estate Te Awamutu Church Mission Trust G. Bishop Auckland A. and P. Society A. B. P. 52 0 0 18 0 0 50 0 0 119 0 0 5,670 0 0 2,557 0 0 4,500 0 0 173 0 0 20 0 0 25 0 0 £40 per acre .. £200 per acre .. £70 per acre .. £80 per acre .. £3 10s. per acre £3 12s. 6d. per acre £5 per acre £6,500 £90 per acre .. £40 per acre £200 per acre £70 per acre £80 per acre £3 10s. per acre £3 12s. 6d. per acre £3 per acre £6,500 .. £80 per acre Purchase completed at £40 per acre. £200 per acre. „ £70 per acre. £80 per acre. Estate purchased at £3 10s. per acre. £3 12s. 6d. per acre. Steps are being taken to acquire the estate compulsorily. Purchase completed at £6,500. £80 per acre. Property acquired by exchange for 62J acres, part of areas pui chased from W. Pairburn, at Otahuhu, as above. 13,184 0 0 Hawke's Bay — Tuhara Estate (J. H. Brown) Buakituri Estate (Dalgety and Co.) Huramua Estate (Executors of T. Carroll) Awamate Estate (W. P. Shaw) Kiwi Estate (Chambers Bros.) Tamaki (Hawke's Bay Timber Co.'s leasehold interests) .. Waingaromia No. 3a (City of Glasgow Assets Company) .. 8,200 0 0 24,960 0 0 2,119 0 0 2,329 0 0 16,172 0 0 7,500 0 0 5,235 0 o 66,515 0 0 £6 per acre £48,000 £4 10s. per acre .. Offer declined by owner. Property sold in meantime to another purchaser. Government declined Board's recommendation. Offer declined by owner. Negotiations still proceeding. £7 per acre £5 15?. per acre £10,000 £6 15s. per acre £3 15s. per acre £1,500 .. £8 10s. per acre

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TABLE B.—Return of Lands recommended for Purchase by the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners, etc.— continued.

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Land District and Vendor. Area under Consideration. Price asked by Vendor. Price offered by Government. Remarks. 'aranaki — P. J. Stuart A. B. P. 3,780 0 0 £6 per acre £5 per acre Vendor would not accept Government's offer. Wellington — J. M. Leigh .. J. Beid 143 0 0 110 0 0 £200 per acre £135 per acre f £25 per acre for 97 acres (£35 per acre for 87 acres £150 per acre Purchase concluded at £150 per acre. Declined by Government. Hawtrey Estate W.E.Welch A. Coles .. .. .. J. Saul J. Knight W. G. Somerville H. E. Gibbons J. T: Nott .. Mudgway Estate Petone Showground .. M. P. Cameron C. A. Loughnan D. and J. Love B. H. Wall C. Wilmot Defence Department, " Polhill Gully " Mahupuku 184 0 0 67 0 0 16 0 0 19 0 0 50 0 0 11 0 0 37 0 0 14 2 0 68 0 0 8 0 0 19 2 0 32 0 0 52 2 0 136 0 0 8 0 0 40 0 0 J £5,877 3s. 9d. for 184 acres £90 per acre £9,000 .. Conveyance not yet completed; leasehold interest (£500) included. Estate held in trust. Vendor unable to accept private offer. Purchase of 15a. 3r. lip, completed at £9,000. Government did not approve Board's reoommendation. Puchase completed at £250 per acre. £2,500. Offer declined by vendor. Purchase not concluded. Purchase completed at this price. Vendors would not accept Government's offer. Offer declined by vendor. Purchase completed at £100 per aore. Purchase of 24 acres completed at £250 per acre. Negotiations discontinued. Government declined Board's recommendation. Purchase not completed. Purchase of leasehold interests in this settlement oompleted al price agreed on. Ditto. Purchase completed at £200 per acre, Negotiations still proceeding. Purchase of 16,591 acres at this prioe completed. Offer declined by vendor. Negotiations still proceeding. £9.600 £125 per acre £250 per acre £3.000 £300 per aore £250 per acre £2.500 .. £250 per acre for 22 acres .. £200 per acre £30,590 .. £11,360 .. £250 per acre £100 per acre £250 per acre for 24 acres .. £25 per acre £34,960 £350 per acre £250 per acre £8,000 £100 per acre £5,250 .. Hikawera Mrs. Kingdon 12 0 0 1 1 24 16,000 0 0 10,175 0 0 10 0 0 46 2 38 £300 per acre £295 £75,000 £4 per acre £3,250 .. £200 per acre .. ' .. £295 £75,000 .. £3 5s. per acre Dry Biver Estate (Executors of J. Joseph) Tiraumea (Collins and Warren) G. H. Baylis B. C. Cook .. £1,750 for 7 aores lanterbury — Kinloch Estate (J. P. and H. Buchanan) J. G. Ruddenklan Chiskan Estate (H. White) 0. O. Amyes Hardy and McGoverin J. B. Harris A. E. G. Bhodes Lagmhor C. Bowker Hagley Park 27,260 2 12 £9 per acre £9 per acre £19 per aore £52 10s. per aore £20 per acre £18 per aore £1,750 £9 per acre £6 15s. per acre £18 6s. per acre Purchase completed at £9 per acre. Offer refused by owner. Purchase oompleted at £18 6s. Government declined Board's recommendation. Purchase completed at £19 per acre. Purchase completed at this price. Board's recommendation deolined by Government. Negotiations still proceeding. Offer declined by vendors. Government deolined Board's recommendation. 12,757 0 0 2.095 0 0 2,230 0 0 75 0 0 890 0 0 24 0 0 8 0 0 17,700 0 0 9 0 0 10 2 0 £19 per acre £18 per acre 36 sections at £50each.. £3,000 £8 5s. per aore £30 a section ■• 35,798 2 0 I 1

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TABLE B.—Return of Lands recommended for Purchase by the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners, etc.—continued.

TABLE C (Part I).—Statement of Lands finally acquired for Settlement between 1st April, 1905, and 31st March, 1906.

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Land District and Vendor. Area under Consideration. Price asked by Vendor. Price offered by Government. Remarks. Itago — Belleknowes (Mrs. J. A. Park) Clydevale Totara (New Zealand and Australian Land Company) A. B. P. 12 0 0 32,126 0 0 3,859 0 0 £3,150 £5 per acre £17 per acre .. £2,750 .. £4 per acre £16 5s. for 3,848 acres, or £15 17s. 6d. for 3,190 acres, excluding homestead £6 10s. per acre .. £4 17s. 6d. per acre £4 per acre £80 per acre for 24 acres £5 10s. 6d. per acre Purchase completed at £2,750. Negotiations still proceeding. Purchase concluded at £15 17s. 6d. for 3,190 acres. Corriedale Otekaike Waitaki Plains Mrs. Hedley Clifton 6,134 0 0 17,611 0 0 22,540 0 0 34 0 0 12,190 0 0 £44,417 £5 15h. per acre £4 per acre £80 per acre .. Purchase completed at £6 10s. Negotiations still proceeding. Purchase completed at £4 per acre. Under negotiation. Negotiations still proceeding. 94,506 0 0 ■outhland — Thomson's Trustees .. T. M* McDonald 50 0 0 19 0 0 £150 per acre .. £150 per acre .. £75 per acre £100 per acre Declined by owner. Negotiations still proceeding. 69 0 0 ! " THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900," AND ITS AMENDMENTS.

Name of Settlement and Land District. Area of each Estate. Locality of Land. Mode of Acquisition. Quality of Land. I Name of Person or Company from whom acquired. Price. Auckland Land District — Selwyn A. B. P. 159,373 3 32 | Piako County By agreement.. Soil light loam and pumice sand, easily worked ; part ploughable and part forest Volcanic light soil Thames Valley Land Company W. Fairburn E.Wood.. W. Hall Auckland A. and P. Society and G. Bishop £ s. d. 63,749 11 6 Eccleston No. 2 Cadmau Prescot Lawry 56 2 38 46 0 0 52 1 26 45 2 2 Ellerslie, Auckland Suburbs 4,539 0 0 3,220 0 0 2,096 10 0 6,603 0 0 159,574 2 18 80,208 1 6 Wellington Land District — Mahupuku 7,087 2 25 Huangarua Survey District, County Ditto Hutt Valley, Wellington .. Peatherston Fair soil; subsoil resting mostly on papa, part limestone M. Mahapuku 33,250 0 0 * Hikawera Waddi ngton Hoi worthy Wilford 143 0 24 50 2 23 63 0 0 Drained swamp and light foot-hills, subsoil clay .. Heavy alluvial soil Horiana Kingi J. M. Leigh J. Knight Mudgway Estate Company (Limited) D. and J. Love 3,250 0 0 21,472 10 0 12,340 18 9 30,240 0 01 Hall-Jones 24 1 22 6,075 0 0

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TABLE C (Part I).-Statement of Lands finally acquired for Settlement between 1st April, 1905, and 31st March, 1906— continued.

Name of Settlement and Land District. Area of each Estate. Locality of Land. Mode o Acquisition. Quality of Land Name of Person or Company from whom acquired. Price. Wellington — continued. Pitt .. Melling Heretaunga Hawtrey A. R. P. 10 2 29 11 3 7 15 3 11 180 2 26 Hutt Valley, Wellington By agreement.. Heavy alluvial soil Sandhills Part adjoining Johnsonville good ; rest poor hills.. W. G. Somerville .. Mrs. E. Kingdon A. Coles .. F. M., E. S., and H. C. Hawtrey C. R. Bidwell's trustees Jacob Joseph's trustees £ s. d. 2,500 0 0 2,358 15 0 9,000 0 0 5,877 3 9 Near Johnsonville Tawaha Dyer 2,350 2 17 16,591 1 14 Huangarua Survey District Haurangi Survey District, Featherston County Compulsorily taken By agreement.. Part heavy drained swamp, part terraces and hills, fair soil Hills good to inferior; flats partly light and gravelly, partly heavy alluvial 34,132 14 0 { 75,000 0 0 26,529 2 38 235,497 1 6 Marlborough Land District — Flaxbourne Cape Campbell Survey District Compulsorily taken Small flats, downs of fair quality, part limestone ; balance hilly pastoral land Sir G. Clifford and others 183,043 15 6 45,368 0 0 Canterbury Land District— Kinloch 12,909 3 7 Akaroa and Ellesmere Survey Districts, Akaroa County By agreement.. Well-grassed land ; half exposed to east, small area dairying land on west H. D. and J. F. Buchanan and S. B. Harris Henry White MoGoverin and Hardie 116,382 18 7 Morice Mills 2,220 1 21 862 3 31 Pigeon Bay Survey District, Banks Peninsula Waimate Survey District Good cocksfoot-growing land Excellent agricultural land 40,632 19 6 16,395 18 7 15,993 0 19 173,411 16 8 Otago Land District — Windle Greenfield Steward 11 3 6 t 21,917 0 18 Mornington, Dunedin Pair soil, adjacent to Dunedin Town Belt Mrs. J. A. Park Messrs. Smith St. John McLean Buckley 2,750 0 0 20,000 0 0 85,689 12 6 108,439 12 6 Awamoko and Papakaio Survey Districts, Waitaki County By agreement.. Some good level agricultural land, part light and gravelly 21,928 3 24 Southland Land District — Edendale (addition to) .. 5 2 17 Block LXIV, Lothian Hundred N.Z. and Australian Land Company 32 4 9 Totals ♦Leasehold interests in Hikawera Settlement, purchase of which was completed previous year. SuMMAEX. Auckland Wellington Marlborough .. Canterbury Otigo Southland + Balance of purchase-money tor this settlement. Area. Price. A. B. p. £ s. d. .. 159,574 2 18 80,208 1 6 .. 26,529 2 38 235,497 1 6 .. 45,368 0 0 183,043 15 6 .. 15,993 0 19 173,411 16 8 .. 21,928 3 24 108,439 12 6 5 2 17 32 4 9 t £350 still due. 269,399 3 36 780,632 12 5

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TABLE C (Part II).—Estates acquired but not paid for at 31st March, 1906.

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Mode of Acquisition. Quality of Land. Name of Person or ;Company from whom acquired. Price. Name of Settlement and Land District. Area of each Estate. Locality of Land. Auckland Land District — Carroll Bean (Mangawhero) A. B. P. 19 1 4 5,670 0 0 Ellerslie, Auckland Suburbs Piako County Mangapiko Survey District (Te Awamutu) .. By agreement.. Volcanic light rocky soil Light downs, with some pumice R. H. Watt Assets Realisation Board Ditto N.Z. Church Mission Trust £ s. d. 3,855 0 0 19,845 0 0 McGowan (Mangapouri) Teasdale (Te Awamutu) 2,557 0 0 179 0 0 Light land ; part occupied as Town of Te Awamutu 9,269 0 0 6,500 0 0 39,469 0 0 3,200 0 0 j 8,425 1 4 Palmers ton North Black soil overlying gravel Messrs. Loughnan, Jull, andLimbrick N.Z. and Australian Land Company Mrs. Jane Hedley .. R. Oliver Wellington Land District — Lougnnan Otago Land District — Charlemont (Totara) 32 0 0 Heavy black soil derived from limestone 50,673 0 0 3,192 0 0 Waitaki County, near Oamaru 1,920 0 0 39,682 0 0 Hedley Plunket (Corriedale) 24 0 0 6,105 0 0 Oamaru Waitaki County Level agricultural land for workers' homes Fair to good ; some flats and some good downs .. 92,275 0 0 Totals 9,321 0 0 Auckland Wellington .. Otago Summary. Area. A. R. P. 8,425 1 4 32 0 0 9,321 0 0 17,778 1 4 Price. £ s. d. 39,469 0 0 3,200 92,275 0 0 134,944 0 0 •

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"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900," AND ITS AMENDMENTS. TABLE C (Part III).—Summary of Estates acquired up to 31st March, 1906, and Amounts of Purchase-money paid.

Approximate Cost of Paper. -Preparation, not given; printing (1,600 copies), £9 JOs. 6d.

By Authority: John Maokat, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1906 Price 6d.]

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Name of Land District. Number of Estates acquired before 31st March, 1905. Areas acquired before 31st March, 1905. Number of Estates acquired from 1st April, 1905, to 31st March, 1906. Area acquired from 1st April, 1905, to 31st March, 1906. Total Numbers of Estates to 31st March, 1906. Total Area to 31st March, 1906. Purchase-money. Incidental Expenses, Roads, Preliminaries, Ac A. B. P. A. B. p. A. B. P. £ £ Auckland .. j 15 92,238 0 12 5 159,574 2 18 20 251,812 2 30 350,078 39,338 ■ Hawke's Bay .. 15 128,906 1 38 15 128,906 1 38 732,900 51,464 I Taranaki Wellington 3 2,697 2 4 -. i 13 29,073 2 5 I i 3 2,697 2 4 58,336 3,323 11 26,529 0 38 24 55,602 3 3 430,363 27,905 ! 9 113,749 2 21 354,511 36,418 Marlborough 8 68,381 2 21 1 45,368 0 0 I 2 5,124 3 26 8,343 Westland Canterbury Otago 2 5,124 3 26 55 246,005 2 30 19 89,638 3 8 3 i j 15,993 0 19 58 261,998 3 9 1,428,612 2,536 53,591 2 21,928 3 24 21 111,567 2 32 557,718 56,550 Southland .. j 6 54,157 1 20 5 2 1?6 54,162 3 37 201,787 14,621 Totals .. .. 136 716,224 0 4 158 985,623 2 0 4,122,648 285,746 22 269,399 1 36