"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS ACT, 1908" (REPORT ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1909 Session II, C-05

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1909. NEW ZEALAND.

"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS ACT, 1908" (REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with Section 85 of " The Land for Settlements Act, 1908." The Land Purchase Inspector to the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Lands. Sir,— Wellington, Ist June, 1909. In accordance with the requirements of the Land for Settlements Act, I submit the sixteenth yearly report of its operations for the year which ended on the 31st March, 190' J. 1. The year began with negotiations for the purchase of six estates. Of these, five were completed, and the purchase of one abandoned. 2. The five new estates paid for, together with small areas added to estates previously acquired, aggregate 73,156 acres, for which £339,629 19s. 3d. was paid, and a sum of £42,795 16s. 3d. was expended on roads, workers' dwellings, and other things incidental to the acquisition of these and estates formerly purchased. 3. The total expenditure out of the Land for Settlements Account for the year 1908-9 is £382,425 15s. 6d., and brings the expenditure to date to £5,599,680. This represents the capital value of 1,195,289 acres. 4. Agreements have been made since the 31st March for the purchase of three other estates, containing 27,180 acres, which will cost about £176,246. 5. The estates actually completely purchased are situated in Wellington, Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago. 6. There were 121 estates, of 772,144 acres, offered to the Government during the year, and 45, of 349,500 acres, were inspected on the ground. 7. The 'Board of Land Purchase Commissioners held twenty-one meetings, at which forty-one estates were dealt with, and recommendations in favour of the purchase of fifteen properties were made. 8. A summary of the transactions shows:—■ Number. Acres. Prime Cost. Estates acquired to 31st March, 1908.. .. 182 1,122,135 £4,807,369 Estates acquired in 1908-9 .. .. ... 5 73,156 339,630 187 1,195,291 £5,146,999 9. The actual income of the account amounts to £250,623 Bs. 4d., and the expenditure in interest is £215,828 os. 9d., giving a credit for the year of £34,795 7s. 7d. 10. This will be seen from the following statement of the Land for Settlement Account for the year 1908-9 :— Dr. £ s. d. Or. £ s. d. Cash and investments, 31st March, Land purchased .. .. 339,629 19 3 1908 .. .. .. 492,062 12 4 Incidental expenses. . .. 42,795 16 3 Proceeds of debentures .. 211,721 0 0 Interest . . .. .. 215,828 0 9 Receipts under Land Act, sec- Sinking fund .. .. 57,963 1 7 tions 191 and 177 ~ 14,630 4 6 Balance, 31st March, 1909 .. 323,820 19 11 Receipts under Land for Settlements Act, section 69 .. 2,417 2 2 Rents .. .. .. 237,831 8 3 Interest .. .. .. 12,792 0 1 Recoveries and credits .. 8,583 10 5 £980,037 17 9 £980,037 17 9 11. A new item of revenue appears in the accounts of last year and this year : Holders of leases in perpetuity under the Land Act may now convert their leaseholds into freeholds at a value agreed on at the time of conversion. Under this authority £12,162 6s. 6d, was paid into the Land for Settle--4

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ment Account in 1908-9 and £1,032 in 1907-8, and these sums are contributions by the Land Fund. Holders of renewable leases may also pay up to 90 per cent, of the capital value of their leaseholds, and receive a relative reduction in rent. For this object £2,467 18s. is now in the account, and is a debt owing to the leaseholders. 12. The area of land opened for selection this year for the first time is 71,219 acres. 13. The area of land selected during the year, less forfeitures and surrenders, is 81,909 acres, and there is an increase of 200 tenants of rural lands, besides occupiers of workers' dwellings. 14. The total area leased, excluding workers' dwellings, is 1,053,640 acres to 4,417 tenants. Of this area, 678,923 acres are held under leases in perpetuity, 155,982 acres under renewable leases, and 218,735 acres under small grazing-runs and short tenures. 15. The area unlet at 31st March, 1909, is 141,648 acres, estimated to be worth a rental of £9,746 per annum. 16. Of the area selected 347,427 acres are now in cultivated grass, 86,731 acres in white crop, 60,371 acres in green crop, and 559,111 acres in native grass, bush, orchards, &c. 17. The total number of sheep depastured is 881,854; cattle, 60,374; horses, 15,687; and pigs, 10,044. 18. The number of tenants occupying workers' dwellings acquired under the Land for Settlements Act is now 72, and the holdings aggregate 11 acres 1 rood 37-5 perches, an average tenancy of 24 perches. There are also 36 occupiers of dw llings on ordinary Crown lands. The rents actually collected come to £2,455 10s. 9d. 19. The purchase of private land for settlements began with the Act of 1892, and the first report of any transactions is that of Mr. S. Percy Smith in 1894. Under his chairmanship there were acquired twenty-eight estates, having an area of 86,919 acres, and costing up to 31st March, 1896, £389,315, an average price per acre of £4 10s. The rents collected that year were £5,946, equal to 1-53 per cent, of the capital cost. 20. From the passing of the Act of 1895 until 1902 Mr. McKerrow was Chairman, and purchased seventy-nine estates, making the total acquisitions at the end of his term 107 estates of 448,349 acres, the capital cost of which was £2,229,128, averaging £5 per acre nearly. The rents collected in 1902 came to £90,053, equal to 4-04 per cent. 21. At the end of the year 1908-9 the investments amounted to £5,599,680, in 187 estates, of an area of 1,195,291 acres, an average of £4 13s. 6d. per acre; and the rents collected came to £237,831, about 4J per cent, of the capital cost. 22. In the Auckland District the returns are equal to 4-24 per cent, of the capital cost; in Hawke's Bay the returns are 4-06 per cent.; in Taranaki, 4-11 per cent. ; in Wellington, 3-92 per cent.; in Nelson, 45 per cent.; in Marlborough, 4 - 61 per cent.; in Canterbury, 4-39 per cent.; in Westland, 3-92 per cent.; in Otago, 4-21 per cent.; and in Southland, 4-5 per cent. Last year at 31st March, 1908, the rents collected were : In Auckland, 3-54 per cent.; Hawke's Bay, 4-29 per cent.; Taranaki, 4-26 per cent.; Wellington, 4-68 per cent.; Nelson, 4-85 per cent.; Canterbury, 4-7 per cent.; Otago, 4-24 per cent.; Southland, 4-98 per cent.; Westland, 4-81 per cent.; and Marlborough, 4-54 per cent.; an average for that year of 4-41 per cent. 23. Only a small area of the land acquired for workers' dwellings is yet built upon, and the revenue derived gives only a partial return for the investment. The capital cost of these small properties is distributed as under : — Area. Cost. Last Year's Return. Acres. £ Per Cent. Auckland .. .. .. .. 219J 39,167 2-16 Wellington ..535 115,648 0-09 Otago .. .. llf 10,361 5-00 Canterbury .. , . .. .. 3| 4,568 0-07 The whole 770 acres cost 169,744, and paid 1-45% interest. If this suburban land is omitted from the ordinary settlement lands, it would show the year's earning of the latter portion to be per cent, instead of 4J per cent. 24. Negotiations are in progress for the purchase of estates in Canterbury, Otago, Marlborough, Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Southland. The Land for Settlements Account at the 31st March, 1909, stands as under :— Dr. £ Or. £ Proceeds of loans current ~ .. 5,708,042 Purchase-money.. .. .. 5,146,999 Eents, &c, received .. .. 1,710,032 Incidental expenses .. .. 452,681 Interest .. .. .. 1,331,980 Sinking fund .. .. . . 162,593 Balance .. .. .. 323,821 £7,418,074 £7,418,074 The usual tables are appended, I have, &c, A. Barron, Land Purchase Inspector, Chairman of the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners. The Right Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Lands.

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TABLE B.—Return of Lands recommended for Purchase by the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners under the above Act from 1st April, 1908, to 31st March, 1909.

"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS ACT, 1908." TABLE A.—Summary of all Lands offered to the Government under "The Land for Settlements Act, 1908," from 1st April, 1908, to 31st March, 1909, and how dealt with.

Estates offered. Recommended for Purchase. Not recommended for Purchase. Under Consideration by the Board on 31st March, 1909. Withdrawn from Negotiations. Land District. No. Area. No. | Area. No. Area. No. Area. No. j Area. Auckland Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington .. Marlborough Nelson Westland Canterbury .. Otago Southland 23 19 39 4 2 1 18 10 1 A. E. P. 125.142 2 0 190,758 0 2 9,245 0 0 168,023 1 13 103,459 0 0 18,085 0 0 5,940 0 0 94,457 3 23 54,296 0 0 2,737 0 0 772.143 2 38 2 1 1 5 1 1 A. B. P. 2,207 2 35 8,411 0 0 3,746 0 0 17,688 2 0 37,030 0 0 2,721 0 0 14 9 2 18 1 A. E. P. 80,055 3 5 69,765 0 0 4,999 0 0 29,825 3 13 7,000 0 0 7 ! 8 ! 1 12 2 1 A. B. P. 42,879 0 0 97,113 0 2 500 0 0 " 116,911 0 0 '59,429 0 0 5,364 0 0 i 4 A. R. p. 15,469' 0 0 3,598 0 0 1 2 1 26 0 0 25,872 0 0 2,737 0 0 1 6 5 5,940 0 0 19,636 3 23 7,312 0 0 io 3 61,195 0 0 21,112 0 0 ! i 13,600 0 0 .. .. .. ...,'• • • • • Totals 121 ! 1 i 15 i 100,439 0 35 56 224,534 2 1 44 414,503 0 2 ; S 6 j 32,667 0 0

Land District and Estate. Area recommended for Purchase. Price per Acre asked by Vendor. Price per Acre offered by Government. Remarks. Auckland Land District — Tauranga Suburbs (W..Kerr) Hikutaia (Alley Bros.) A. b. p. 68 2 35 2,139 0 0 2,207 2 35 £ s. d. 16 0 0 8 5 0 £ S. d. 16 0 0 6 0 0 Purchased by the Agricultural Department. Aotion deferred. Hawke's Bay Land District — ■ Mahia Township (G. C. Ormond) Clydebank, Wairoa (Alex. DuS) Tongoio, near Napier (C. J. Mackersey) Ngatapa, near Gisborne (S. Williamson) 369 0 0 9,614 0 '0 8,411 0 0 10,697 0 0 29,091 0 0 3 15 3 4 10 0 6 10 0 7 5 0 5 14 2 7 5 0 By exchange for reserves of equal value. Under negotiations. Offer accepted by vendor. Taranaki Land District — Matemateonga (W. Perry) .. m 3,746 0 0 10 0 0 Declined by Government.

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Summaby op Estates dealt with. a. b. p. Auckland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,207 2 35 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 29,091 0 0 Taranaki .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 3,746 0 0 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. .. .'. .. 39,770 0 0 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 37,037 0 0 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 8,090 0 0 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24,748 0 0 Southland.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 2,737 0 0 Total .. .. .. .. .. 147,426 2 35

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

Land District and Estate. Area recommended for Purchase, i Price per Acre asked by Vendor. Price per Acre offered by Government. Remarks. Wellington Land District — Parorangi, near Feilding (E. Short) A. B. P. 4,585 0 0 940 0 0 18,267 0 0 3,539 0 0 13 0 0 70 2 0 3,762 0 0 2,521 0 0 3,093 0 0 649 2 0 2,330 0 0 £ s. d. 15 0 0 3 18 3 £ s. d. lea, near Masterton (trustees J. C. Andrew) Kohiwai (trustees Meredith Estate) Hataitai, Mount Victoria (Hataitai Land Company) Hylton, Wanganui (Hollaway, Hogan, and Caddy) Brancepeth, parts of (Guynne Williams Trust) .. (A. Williams) (E. Williams) Carrington, adjoining (J. Kelly) Ridgelands, near Halcombe (E. B. Saunders) .. Freehold. Declined by Government. Education reserve. Under consideration. 1,177 0 0 Workers' dwellings. Offer withdrawn. » Declined by Government. Under consideration. Since sold privately. Under consideration. Recommendation declined by Government. 8 0 0 14 10 0 14 0 0 17 10 0 Marlborough Land District — Greenhills (Buchanan and others) 39,770 0 0 37,037 0 0 Declined by Government. Canterbury Land District — Orari Gorge (Messrs. Tripp) 8,090 0 0 6 9 0 6 5 4 Purchase agreed on. Otago Land District — Ormaglade (Macdonalds Trust and Mrs. Praser) „ (Crown lands) Matakanui (Laidlaw and Crawford) 5,635 0 0 17,935 0 0 1,178 0 0 24,748 0 0 2,737 0 0 Offer declined by Government. 3 0 0 3 0 0 Purchase agreed on. Southland Land District — Ermedale, near Fairfax (L. Matson) 6 0 0 4 0 0 Offer declined by owner.

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TABLE C (Part I).—Statement of Lands finally acquired for Settlement between 1st April, 1908, and 31st March, 1909.

-, Area. Price. SUMMABY. A. B. P. £ 8. d. Hawke's Bay .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 968 Wellington .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 5,178 225 39,155 0 0 Nelson .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 18,111 0 0 13,727 1110 Marlborough .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1,230 0 0 Canterbury .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 25,174 2 36 121,448 6 0 Otago .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 23,461 1 18 165,289 14 9 Totals .. .. .. .. .. 73,155 337 339,629 19 3 * Part payment.

Land District and Name of Settlement. Area of each Estate. Locality of Land. Mode of Acquisition. Quality of Land. From whom acquired. Price. Hawke's Bay Land District — Te Mata A. B. P. Near Hastings By agreement.. Agricultural .. .. B. Chambers £ s. d. 9 6 8 Wellington Land District— Carrington .. 5,178 2 25 Near Carterton Compulsorily .. Agricultural and pastoral .. W. H. Booth and Publio Trustee 39,155 0 0 Nelson Land District — Braeburn 18,111 0 38 In Mangles Valley By agreement.. .. Wilkie and Page .. 13,727 11 10" Marlborough Land District— Flaxbourne (part) 1,230 0 0 On Grassmere By accretion .. ' Agricultural .. .. (Not included in former report) Crown lands Canterbury Land District — Culverden Morice (part) 25,163 3 38 10 2 38 North Canterbury.. Little River Compulsorily .. By agreement.. Agricultural and pastoral (Closed roads, &c.) .. Trustee late J. Cracroft- Wilson .. H.White.. 121,251 16 2 196 9 10 25,174 2 36 121,448 6 0 Otago Land District — Kauroo Hill Otekaike (part) Meadowbank 19,114 3 36 Near Oamaru Agricultural and pastoral Pastoral Mainly agricultural .. Messrs. Teschmaker .. (Balance of purchase-money) .. John Wither 133,804 16 6 15,940 0 0 15,544 18 3 4,346' 1 22 Palmerston By agreement.. 23,461 1 18 165,289 14 9

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TABLE C (Part II).— Estates acquired since 31st March, 1909.

Note.—A summary of the progress, present position, and prospects of each settlement is published in the Lands Report, C.-l, 1908-9.

Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not giveu ; printing (1,630 copies), £6 19s.

By Authority : John Mackat,"Government Printer, Wellington. —1909. Price 6d.1

Price 6d.}

TABLE C (Part III).— Summary of Estates acquired up to 31st March, 1909.

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Land District and Name of Settlement. Area. Locality. Mode of Acquisition. Quality of Land. Prom whom acquired. Price. Hawke's Bay Land District— Ngatapa Tongoio A. e. p. 10,679 0 0 8,411 0 0 Near Gisborne Near Napier By agreement.. Agricultural and pastoral S. Williamson W. H. Mackersey .. £ S. d. 77,553 0 0 48,000 0 0 Canterbury Land District — Orari Gorge 19,090 0 0 125,553 0 0 8,090 0 0 South Canterbury.. Messrs. Tripp 50,693 0 0

Name of Land District. Number of Estates acquired before 31st March, 1908. Areas acquired before 31st March, 1908. Number of Estates acquired from 1st April, 1908, to 31st March, 1909. Area acquired from 1st April, 1908, to 31st March, 1909. Total Numbers of Estates to 31st March, 1909. Total Area to 31st March, 1909. Purchase-money. Incidental Expenses, Roads, Preliminaries, &c. A. B. P. A. e. p. 27 A. E. P. £ £ Auckland 27 277,110 2 36 277,110 2 36 449,053 82,103 Hawke's Bay 22 164,434 1 4 22 164,434 1 4 1,035,159 74,966 Taranaki 4 4,609 0 8 4 4,609 0 8 79,363 6,073 Wellington 25 55,646 0 34 1 5,178 2 25 26 60,824 3 19 473,629 60,797 Marlborough 9 113,749 2 21 1,230 0 0 9 ' 114,979 2 21 354,463 44,905 1 6,235 3 10 1 18,111 0 38 ■ 24,347 0 8 Nelson 2 29,975 1,895 Westland 2 5,124 3 26 2 5,124 3 26 8,343 2,900 Canterbury 59 262,002 2 18 1 25,174 2 36 60 287,177 1 14 1,551,364 76,500 Otago 27 179,048 1 37 2 23,461 1 18 29 202,509 3 15 963,927 83,549 Southland 6 54,173 3 37 6 54,173 3 37 201,723 18,992 Totals .. 182 1,122,135 2 31 73,155 3 37 187 1,195,291 2 28 5,146,999 452,680 ■