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

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1924 Session I, C-05

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1924. NEW ZEALAND.

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

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with Section 85 of the Land for Settlements Act, 1908.

The Land Purchase Controller to the Minister of Lands. Sir,— • Wellington, 19th August, 1924. I have the honour to submit the report of the Department for the year ended the 31st March 1924. Although during the year a number of properties, in various parts of the Dominion, have been placed under offer to the Department for the purposes of settlement, the area purchased has been relatively small. The chief reason for this (apart from entire unsuitability in some cases) is the comparatively high price still being asked by vendors for lands suitable for subdivision. While admitting that the present prices for almost the whole of our exportable primary products justifies a certain amount of optimism, it would be unsafe to venture upon anything approaching a large purchasing policy until export prices are proved to be of a more stable nature. This is perhaps more particularly the case in regard to purely sheep-country, for which at present there exists a considerable demand. Teviot. The past season was a very trying one. The autumn was dry and feed scarce. Turnips were practically a failure. A heavy fall of snow occurred in July, which necessitated the out-wintering of eight thousand of the ewes. Half were sent to Clifton and the balance to Moa Plat. To make matters worse, some 3,000 acres of the lambing country was offered by ballot in August with immediate possession. As the ewes were returning early in September, and the successful applicants did not desire to stock up at that time of the season, several of the sections were leased back. Purchasers, however, had to be found for two to three thousand of the ewes, and surprisingly satisfactory prices were obtained. The lambing, as expected, was below the average. The wool, though light, and showing signs of the hard winter, topped the Dunedin sales for 406 bales, averaging over 2s. per pound. The balance of the station, with the exception of the homestead, was offered in February by ballot, and nearly all taken up by very likely men. The sheep were valued by three competent men, and offered to the successful applicants, who eagerly took them on the conditions'laid down. The sections left will be offered in February next. Mount Pisa. The weather conditions did not affect this property so much as Teviot. The winter, however, was very severe, and the stock suffered considerably. The snow cleared early, so the sheep were able to get higher up sooner than usual. Lambing was poor, but the sheep came in at shearing-time much better than was expected. The clip was fairly good, and brought full average prices in Dunedin. The property was divided into ten sections, and offered by ballot to soldiers in February last. The whole was taken up. The sheep were valued by throe practical men, and offered to the successful applicants, who readily accepted them on the conditions arranged. The weather was wet and foggy during the mustering for delivery, and there are still over three thousand sheep unaccounted for. A good many will still come in. The live and dead stock were sold later. The rabbits were well in hand in the autumh, and provision was made in the leases to continue the rabbiting until the end of March, 1925. The lessees will thus have an opportunity of getting their fencing and other work done. Clifton. The drought which prevailed during the year over Canterbury and part of Otago extended to this settlement. The spring and summer were exceptionally dry and windy, and consequently the white crops and grasses were light, and rape and turnips in many places a failure.

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Very great difficulty was experienced in saving the Western Wolths and rye-grass seed, and for a time it was doubtful if it would be worth cutting. The yield, however, for Wolths was 20 bushels, and rye-grass 17 bushels per acre. The former was machine-dressed to 26 lb. per bushel and the latter to 30 lb. per bushel, which should be well worth from Bs. to 9s. per bushel. Oats and barley were only fair crops, but much better than expected. The turnips made little progress until the days shortened, when they came away, and will show quite an average crop. The rape did better, and will fatten a large number of lambs. A portion was sown with Western Wolths, which offers a lot of feed. It is expected to fatten sixteen hundred. A good many lambs have already gone to the works at a good price. One thousand wethers and lambs are now on turnips. The sheep did well, and clipped a fair fleece, which fetched a good price. Lambing was fair. Cattle suffered somewhat. The cows left a fine crop of calves, which, if well wintered and having the spring grass, should be fit to market about July, 1925. Some sixty bullocks were sold at a good price. Should the weather during the coming year be favourable the results will, be very marked, as there will be about 1,000 acres of new grass available, besides 200 acres of rape and 400 acres turnips for winter feeding. The area of old pasture being dealt with this season is 540 acres, which leaves 150 still to be dealt with. 437 acres have been limed at the rate of 1 ton per acre, and 475 acres with 2 cwt. per acre. It is intended to try liming 100 acres of new grass with 1 ton per acre. Last winter 372 acres were drainploughed 5 yards apart. It will hardly be possible to do any drain-ploughing this year, owing to dry weather. The fencing is nearly completed, and the macrocarpa plantation has been most valuable for this purpose. The area proposed to be dealt with this coming season is (say) —400 acres oats, 120 acres barley, 320 acres turnips, 140 acres turnips and grass, 76 acres rape, 130 acres rape and grass, 15 acres chou mollier : total, 1,201 acres ; besides 200 to 300 acres Western Wolths and rye-grass for seed. Appended are the usual tables. John D. Ritchie, Land Purchase Controller.

Table A.—Number of Properties considered during the Year ended 31st March, 1924.*

Table B. —Summary of Estates Acquired up to the 31st March, 1924.

Land District. Number. Area of Estates offered. Auckland Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington Marlborough Nelson Westland Canterbury Otago Southland 14 1 1 1 Acres. 12.754 64 462 9,284 3 4 2 2,899 6.073 991 Totals 26 32,527 * In addition, areas have also been offered direct to the local Land Pi irohase Boards.

Land District. Number. Area. Purchase-money. Auckland Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington Marlborough Nelson. Westland Canterbury Otago Southland 92 60 25 143 20 14 2 172 72 25 Acres. 385,344 301,470 27,628 157,335 223,277 48,821 5,125 447,349 293,185 90,637 £ 1,482,236 2,291,637 369,818 2,226,840 734,665 150,473 8,343 3,444,252 1,779,308 457,786 Totals 625 4,980,171 12,945,358

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Table C. —Statement or the Moneys received into and paid out of the Land por Settlements Account for the Year ended 31st March, 1924. Land for Settlements Account. Receipts. £ s. d. : Payments. £ s. d Balance at beginning of year .. .. 120,597 0 7 ! Purchase-money .. .. .. .. .. 399 0 6 Receipts under see. 191, Land Act, 1908 284 5 9 Incidental expenses .. .. .. .. 12,943 5 6 Rents, &c. .. .. .. .. 360,658 6 9 Recoupment of interest under see. 4, Finance Act, 1919.. 367,876 6 6 Sales of— £ s. d. Recoupment to Ordinary Revenue Account of amount Crown lands .. 80,369 18 2 charged thereto for reduction of Funded Debt under Land-for-settlement sees. 82 and 42 (b), Land for Settlements Act, 1908 .. 392 4 7 lands .. .. 88,635 19 4 Interest under subsec. (8), sec. 191, Land Act, 1908 .. 156 3 10 169,005 17 6 Charges and expenses of raising loans (redemptions) .. 19 12 6 Interest on securities held by Investment Amount transferred to Land for Settlements Account Account .. .. .. .. 1,901 10 10 (Opening-up of Crown Lands for Settlement Account) Recoveries on account of settlements .. 194 1 4 under sec. 63, Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, and sec. 42, Appropriation Act, 1918 .. .. .. 40,000 0 0 Amount credited to receipts on account of capital value of land under the Land Act, 1908, sec. 191, in previous years, now transferred to Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account .. .. .. .. .. 1,190 0 0 Recoupment of management charges of bonds and consolidated stock .. .. .. .. .. 629 14 3 Land-for-settlements expenses .. .. .. 3,963 5 9 Transferred to Loans Redemption Account for redemption of securities .. .. .. .. 47,550 0 0 Sinking fund— £ s. d. iState Advances Act, 1913, see. 26 ..19,007 0 0 Finance Act, 1919, see. 4 .. .. 11,715 5 3 30,822 5 3 Balance— Cash in Public Account .. .. 42,508 8 8 Investments .. .. ..100,000 0 0 Imprests outstanding in the Dominion.. 4,290 15 5 146,799 4 t £652,641 2 9 £652,641 2 9 Land for Settlements Account (Discharged Soldiers Settlement). Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d, Balance at beginning of year .. .. 10,724 16 0 Purchase-money .. .. ~ .. 707 18 3 Receipts from settlements—- £ s. d. Incidental expenses .. .. .. .. 15,221 7 3 Rents .. .. 44,756 19 7 Vote—Land for Settlement of Discharged Soldiers: Expenses 2,480 4 5 Sales .. .. 1,470 1 0 Recoupments sinking fund under see. 4, Finance Act, 1919 5,870 8 11 — — 46,227 1 1 Balance— £ s. d. Recoveries on account of settlements .. 357 18 2 j Cash in Public Account .. .. 32,282 3 8 Interest on securities held by Investment Imprests outstanding in the Dominion 916 14 0 Account.. .. .. .. 169 1 3 33,198 17 8 £57,478 16 6 £57,478 16 6 Land for Settlements Account (Opening up Crown Lands). Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 480 16 8 Annual appropriation—Voto 80, Roads to open up lands Revenue received under sec. 63, Land for settlement .. .. .. .. .. 49,185 13 0 Laws Amendment Act, 1913 .. 20,044 13 3 Recoupment of interest under sec. 4, Finance Act, 1919.. 8,063 9 4 Amount set aside from Land for Sinking fund .. .. .. .. .. 1,102 6 2 Settlements Account under sec. 63, Balance— £ s. d. Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, Cash in Public Account .. .. 1,776 11 4 and sec. 42, Appropriation Act, 1918 40,000 0 0 1 mprests outstanding in the Dominion .. 397 10 1 2,174 1 5 £60,525 9 11 £60,525 9 11 Examined and found correct. G. F. C. Campbell, Controller and Auditor-General.

Table D. —Return of Land purchased and paid for from 1st April, 1923, to 31st March, 1924.

Name of Owner. Locality, : Price per Acre. Auckland. £ Diokeson, H. D. .. Ohaeawai .. 17 Thompson, S. A... Mongonui 13 County Otago. M'Kay, T. .. Cromwell Action. *<>«"■ I I By agreement Remuera (additional).. Whangape (additional) Area. Acres. 14 ,1 15 Amount paid. £ 386* 13 399 Mount Pisa (additional) ' Totals ■ ■ .. j 111 126 708f 1,107 * Including £148 for timber and apporti 126 1,107 lonments. f Including water rights and apportii t Including water rights and apportionments. onments.

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Table G.—Land-settlement Finance Associations incorporated up to 31st March, 1924.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given ; printing (675 copies), £7 15s.

By Authority : W. A. G. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.— 1924.

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Association. Locality. Name of Owner. Aron PurchaseArea " money. Number of Members. Area of Allotment. I Eureka Tainui Komata South Auckland. Eureka Matangi Komata South .. G. Howie.. W. Ranstead Hubbards and Hubbards's executors G. Alley .. G. W. Mace McGuire and Miller Acres. 824 466 658 £ 15,870 6,520 9,990 5 5 5 Acres. 100, 188, 200, 185, 151. 112, 50, 50, 82, 172. 176, 158, 89, 104, 181. Hikutaia .. Melrose Martha .. Hikutaia Te Aroha Hinuera 839 858 1,698 7,663 6,466 10,245 8 5 10 180, 180, 129, 110, 145, 95. 169, 169, 176, 176, 168. 174, 172, 184, 184, 185, 198, 200, 100, 101, 200. 152, 185, 130, 155, 156, 208, 102. 110, 123, 63, 76, 78. 100, 101, 138, 176, 163. 196, 130, 270, 170, 243. 200, 200, 200, 205, 117, 138 122 200, 200, 205, 205, 204. 150, 133,150, 53, 204. 150, 150, 141, 190, 200, 300, 262, 420. 160, 159, 118, 324, 212. 170, 130, 153,100, 78,101, 195, 12, 83, 141, 51. 175, 168, 169, 199, 153. 77, 81, 100, 100, 95, 68, 100. 72, 71, 61, 62, 108. 230,136, 254, 364,230,331. Glengariff.. Ohaupo Greenslade, Mrs. .. 1,088 15,237 9 Dunlop Waipa Mimosa Downs Walton .. Kaipaki Te Awamutu Walton.. Sturges, W. N. .. McGovern.F. Hutchinson, C. Q... Butler, R. 450 678 1,009 1,182 5,967 11,186 8,582 13,003 5 5 7 9 Waitangi .. Pukekawa.. Moana Vale Waiuku Pukekawa Roto-o-rangi Sinclair, W. F. .. Morrison, R. E. .. Paine, F... 1,014 690 1,812 9,637 4,840 .13,474 5 6 11 Lansdowne Woodside .. Walton Matangi Mapp Bros. Goodwin, E. G. W. and A. Harris, Harry Clarkin, John 778 1,294 8,506 24,583 7 11 Paparamu Clarkin Near Tirau Komokorau Survey District Near Te Aroha .. Near Whangarei 865 623 10,338 15,000 6 7 Hoururangi Otaikarangi Edwards, C. B. .. Lewis, D. H. 374 1,545 5,018 10,596 5 6 Hawke's Bay. Korokipo 18,740 212,751 137 Korokipo .. Matamau .. Matamau J. E. Lane Lloyd and Tansoy .. 670 1,459 16,630 24,789 7 12 64, 102, 79, 162, 101, 112, 50. 112, 114, 127, 114, 166, 181, 188, 141, 122, 194. 155, 153, 153, 149, 167, 167, 195, 176, 138. Blairgowrie Near Dannevirke Ross, R. B. 1,483 23,681 9 Wellington. Ashhurst Kimbolton Okoia 3,612 65,100 28 Nikau Grange Moorfield .. Auohmore.. Messrs. Fraser E. H. Crabbe McGregor, J. 672 807 633 18,830 16,948 14,570 6 5 7 130, 141, 145, 133, 123. 150, 184, 191, 150, 132. 120, 101, 100, 115, 64, 55, 78. 28, 25, 61, 105, 110. 178, 52, 140, 75, 147, 143, 171. 95, 135,184, 199,147, 169, 199, 186, 94, 95, 95. 46, 60, 141, 65, 65. Glenoairn Quilltowen Turakina Wanganui Bruce, J... Whiteman, E. H. .. 1,599 329 33,567 11,587 6 8 Otauiri Hunterville Simpson, R. K., A.G., and R. K., jun. Meyer, J. C., jun... 906 21,524 12 Lake Alice Near Marton Junction 378 10,270 127,296 7 5,324 51 Clifton Grove Maelboeough. Lower Wairau .. Haywood, A. E. 368 15,307 5 70, 65, 38, 41, 71, 83. Harihari .. Westland. Harihari R<smussen, T. V... 586 3,223 5 117, 117, 117, 117, 117. Brookland Waitohi Downs Melville Downs Gleniffer .. Cantebbuky. Winchester Temuka i Fairlie Beautiful Valley R. Brookland D. Shaw, jun. Black, William .. Macaulay and Mrs. Dick North, W. B. Harris, E. Dixon, R. A. 400 1,021 1,023 852 9,621 12,636 12,280 10,277 5 (i 5 5 53,68,93,65, 121. 178, 197, 200, 223, 223. 197, 224, 198, 208, 196. 160, 200, 164, 164, 164. Wontnor .. Chastleton Owersby .. Pleasant Valley .. Fairlie 1,113 1,528 2,181 12,248 10,885 17,992 5 5 8 207, 207, 206, 218, 275. 279, 333, 335, 276, 305. 213, 248, 252, 256, 242 284, 385, 301. 186, 115, 112, 100, 250, 100. 260, 260, 217, 264, 226, 300, 104. 79, 66, 79, 79, 78, 77. 100, 48, 42, 54, 48. Kelman .. Lowcliffe Kelman, A. W..F.B., and J. A. Langridge and Crampton Henderson Bros. .. Quinn, D. 968 13,283 6 Trentham.. Fairlie 1,631 15,498 7 Eiffelton .. Angland .. Lowcliffe Arowhenua 535 292 14,976 8,746 7 5 Bruce Otago. Kakanui Bruce, G. 11,439 205 138,442 64 6,368 5 39, 40, 76, 25, 25. Merrivale No. 1* Southland. Merrivale Ellis, J. C. 2,276 16,560 11 305, 376, 293, 178, 250, 199, 169, 257, 249. 184, 157, 297, 310, 275. 315, 342. No. 2» * • • 1,880 14,074 30,634 8 4,156 19 144,430 599,121 314 * Since transferred to Land for Settlements undi tic Land Laws Amendment Act, 1914.