LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS ACT, 1925 (REPORT ON THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1926 Session I, C-05

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1926. NEW ZEALAND.

LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS ACT, 1925 (REPORT ON THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with Section 109 of the Land for Settlements Act, 1925.

The Land Purchase Controller to the Hon. the Minister op Lands. Sir,— Wellington, 2nd August, 1926. I have the honour to submit the report of the Department for the year ended 31st March, 1926. The extremely high prices ruling for wool, mutton, and lamb during 1924 and the early part of 1925 had the effect of hardening the values asked for pastoral lands, and consequently the sales of large properties, either to the Crown or privately, have been practically negligible during the financial year just closed. Although during that period the Board closely inspected several large properties, which at first glance appeared reasonable in price, careful calculations showed that the loading necessary for roading, fencing, and buildings would have raised the rental values to prospective settlers to such a high point that success could not be reasonably assured, and therefore purchase by the Crown could not be recommended. Offers received during the present calendar year indicate that owners of large properties suitable for subdivision are now willing to offer them at a more reasonable figure, and since the close of the financial year three estates, totalling 14,252 acres, have been purchased ; while negotiations in respect of two other properties, approximating 20,000 acres, have reached a stage that gives reasonable prospect of successful negotiation. During the year, also, considerable areas of second- and third-class lands, mostly in localities difficult of access, have been placed under offer to the Crown, but the Board has not been able to recommend the purchase of such areas, for the reason that it is of the opinion that they are entirely unsuited for closer settlement—being only suitable for holding in comparatively large areas by those having capital available to work them. It is considered that in purely sheep-grazing land of lowgrade fattening-capacity a minimum of from 1,000 to 1,500 acres is required to assure a reasonable living for a family, for the reason that with such land there is a strong tendency towards reversion to manuka and native grasses every few years. Although for many years such lands have been successfully farmed by capable men in areas of 2,500 acres and upwards, recent investigations under the discharged soldiers revaluation have gone to show that this type of land cannot be settled successfully in small areas unless it is in close proximity to good transportation facilities which will permit of the use of lime and other top-dressing mixtures at the lowest possible prices. During the year there have been several applications for the formation of associations under the Land Settlement Finance Act, which undoubtedly offers facilities for the subdivision of improved properties. The legislation, however, is in need of amendment in several respects before it can be applied with any prospect of success, and pending action in that direction it is not proposed to form any new associations. In conjunction with the Railway Department the purchase of 681 acres in the Hutt Valley has been completed at a total first cost of £180,741. The necessary roading, sewerage, &c., of the area is being pushed on as quickly as possible, and although these purchases hardly come under the heading of closer settlement, as the term is generally understood, it is confidently anticipated, in view of the demand existing for urban and suburban allotments, that the Department will shortly be reimbursed for its expenditure, leaving, it is hoped, a substantial surplus towards meeting the cost of railwayconstruction.

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Teviot and Mount Pisa Settlements. As mentioned in last report, both Teviot and Mount Pisa were disposed of, and as the seasons were favourable the settlers had a satisfactory start. Wool was, however, much lower in price, as well as sheep. Clifton Settlement. This property has now all been brought into cultivation, and can be offered to settlers when convenient. The weather during the spring somewhat delayed the sowing of the crops, but later on was more favourable and there was an abundance of feed. The crops were secured in fairly good order. Following are the particulars of cropping, &c. : — Acres. Acres. Winter oats . . . . 204 Meadow fescue .. 4 Spring oats .. .. 203 Crested dogstail . . 4 Wheat .. .. 31 Cocksfoot .. .. 2 Barley .. .. .. 60 Timothy .. .. 1 Turnips.. .. . . 286 Temporary pasture .. 495 Western Wolths .. .. 30 Permanent pasture .. 1,633 The stock did Well, and a number was sent to the South Gtago Freezing-works and to Burnside. A number of Romntey and Cdrriedale rams were sold, but the prices were not large. Some 600 acres have been drain-ploughed with excellent results, and over 500 acres limed, mostly with carbonate of lime, also with good results. The manager, Mr. Reid, is very enthusiastic over the draining, and is satisfied that it is one of the greatest improvements that can be made, more especially to the class of land at Clifton. The results from lime are largely dependent upon the use of the drain-plough. Appended are the usual tables. John D. Ritchie. Land Purchase Controller.

Table A. —Number of Properties considered during the Year ended 31st March, 1926.*

Table B. —Summary of Estates acquired up to the 31st March, 1926.

Land District. Number. Area of Estates offered. Acres. Auckland .. .. .. .. 15 32,073 Hawke's Bay . . . . . . .. 10 32,985 Taranaki Wellington . . . . . . . . 6 18,320 Marlborough .. .. .. .. 7 22,961 Nelson .. .. .. .. 1 4,065 Westland Canterbury .. . . . . . . 7 8,223 Otago .. .. .. .. 3 4,683 Southland Totals .. .. .. 49 123,310 * In addition areas have also been offered direct to the local Land Purchase Boards. »

- ----- " ! Land District. Number. j Area. Purchase-money. Acres. £ Auckland .. .. .. 97 387,871 1,507,329 Hawke's Bay .. .. .. 61 301,498 2,292,083 Taranaki .. .. .. 25 27,628 369,818 Wellington .. .. .. 144 158,511 2,248,013 Marlborough. .. .. .. 22 224,090 755,482 Nelson ' .. .. 14 48,821 150,473 West! and .. .. .. 2 5,125 8,343 Canterbury .. .. .. 172 447,349 3,444,252 Otago .. .. .. 73 293,188 1,779,317 Southland .. .. .. 25 90,637 457,786 Totals .. .. 635 1,984,718 13,012,896

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Table G. —Statement of the Moneys received into and paid out op the Land fob Settlements Account foe the Year ended 31st March, 1926. La'id for Settlements Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year . . .. 60,902 14 11 Purchase-money .. .. .. .. 68,869 14 4 Receipts under sec. 208, Land Act, 1924 .. 1,248 14 0 Incidental expenses ... .. .. 32,059 6 0 Rents, &c. .. .. .. .. 364,009 0 5 Land-for-settlement expenses .. .. 3,152 7 3 Sales of— £ s. d. Expenditure under see. 20 (4), Discharged Crown lands .. .. 76,011 13 10 Soldiers Settlement Amendment Act, 1923 Settlement lands .. .. 83,244 3 11 (payment to Discharged Soldiers Settlement 159,255 17 9 Account in respect of amount added to capital Interest on sales of— value of land) .. .. .. .. 15,503 18 6 Crown lands .. .. 1,446 12 8 Interest under sec. 208 (8), Land Act, 1924: Settlement lands .. .. 23,634 13 2 Recoupments of interest under Finance Act, 25,081 5 10 1919, sec. 4 .. .. .. .. 355,251 16 1 Recoveries on account of settlements .. .. 187 10 3 Expenditure under sec. 20 (3) of Land Act, 1924 Recoveries on account of expenses incidental to (payment in respect of land obtained for Gosettlements .. .. .. .. 24,628 18 8 I vernment works, now deemed to be settlement Value of land taken over for workers'dwellings 3,195 0 0 land) .. .. .. .. .. 850 0 0 Interest on securities held by Investment Account 4,088 4 0 Recoupments of management charges of conAdjustment of entry, 1924-25 re charges and ex- solidated stock .. .. .. .. 323 3 6 penses of raising loans .. .. .. 56 15 1 Land for Settlements Act, 1908, sees. 82, 42: Recoupment to Ordinary Revenue Account of amount charged thereto for reduction of j funded debt .. .. .. .. 657 4 1 ; Transfer to Loans Redemption Account for redemption of securities .. .. .. 22,575 0 0 I Amount transferred to Land for Settlements \ Account (opening up Crown lands), sec. 63, Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, and Appropriation Act, 1918, sec. 42 .. ... 10,000 0 0 Charges and expenses of raising loans .. .. 25 13 10 Land Act, 1924, sec. 139: "Thirds" and " fourths " paid to local bodies' Deposit Accounts .. .. .. .. .. 218 0 9 j Balance at end of year — £ s. d. Cash in Public Account .. 679 15 1 Imprests outstanding in the Dominion .. .. 5,488 1 6 Investment Account .. 127,000 0 0 133,167 16 7 £642,654 0 11 £642,654 0 11 Land for Settlements Account (Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account). Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. .. 7,631 11 6 Incidental expenses .. .. .. .. 13,871 17 8 Receipts from settlements — £ s. d. Vote —Land for settlement of discharged soldiers' Rents .. .. .. 75,548 2 5 expenses .. .. .. .. .. 1,450 8 1 Sales .. .. .. 4,305 12 4 Expenditure under sec. 20 (4), Discharged Soldiers' Interest on sales .. .. 547 11 0 Settlement Amendment Act, 1923, in respect of > — 80,401 5 9 advances from Discharged Soldiers Settlement Recoveries on account of settlements .. .. 4 0 0 Account added to capital value of settlement Receipts incidental to settlements .. .. 4,279 10 2 land .. .. .. .. .. 6,408 9 9 Interest on securities held by Investment Account 687 10 7 Balance— £ s. d. Cash in Public Account .. 20,414 14 8 Imprests outstanding .. 858 7 10 Investment Account .. 50,000 0 0 71,273 2 6 £93,003 18 0 £93,003 18 0 Land for Settlements Account (Opening up Crown Lands). Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. .. 4,182 12 9 Annual appropriation .. .. .. 17,193 10 10 Revenue received under sec. 63, Land Laws Recoupment of interest under sec. 4, Finance Amendment Act, 1913, and sec. 47, Land for Act, 1919.. .. .. .. .. 8,145 19 4 Settlements Act, 1925 .. .. .. 17,746 10 6 Balance —Cash in Public Account .. .. 6,602 11 0 Amount set aside from Land for Settlements Account under sec. 63, Land Laws Amendment Act, 1913, and Appropriation Act, 1918 .. 10,000 0 0 Recoveries .. .. .. .. .. 12 17 11 £31,942 1 2 £31,942 1 2 Examined and found correct. —G. F. C. Campbell, Controller and Auditor-General.

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Table D. —Return of Land purchased and paid for from 1st April, 1925, to 31st March, 1926.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (800 copies), £6 15s.

Authority : W. A. 6. Skinner, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 926.

Price 3d.}

Name of Owner. Locality. Price per Acre, j Acquisition Settlement. j Area. Amount paid.. Auckland. £ s. d. j Acres. f Finlayson, J. A. .. MangapaiParish .. By agreement Finlayson .. .. 1,330 8,000 Ramsay, L. A. .. Cambridge .. 7 0 0 .. Te Miro (add.) .. j 53 372 1,383 8,372 Wellington. Buchanan, W. C. Wairarapa .. 18 0 0 .. Tupurupuru .. 1,176 21,173 (Trustees of) Marlborough. Andrew, S. .. Kaikoura .. 29 0 0 .. Fernleigh (add.) .. 133 3,847 Otago. Otago Presbyterian Leaning Rock 3 0 0 .. .. 3 9 Church Board of S.D. Property - Totals .. 2,695 £33,401 S I