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

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1927 Session I, C-05

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1927. NEW ZEALAND.

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

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly pursuant to Section 109 of the Land for Settlements Act 1925.

The Land Purchase Controller to the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Sir, — Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 21st July, 1927. I have the honour to submit a report on land-purchase operations for the vear ended 31st March, 1927. Some fifty-one properties were considered during the year ; but the only purchases of any moment that were effected were those of the Tangowahine Estate in the Dargaville district, and the Te Wera Estate in the Motu district. These two estates accounted for some 12,780 acres out of a total area of 13,152 acres purchased. The Crown has so far taken title to some 2,858 acres of the Tangowahine Estate, possession of the remaining 1,500 acres having not yet been taken. This latter area, therefore, is not included in the returns of land purchased for the year. The Te Wera Estate was subdivided into eleven holdings, ranging in area from 510 to 1,300 acres ; but no applications were received when the sections were offered for ballot in February last. Steps have now been taken to stock the property, and it will be farmed by the Crown until such time as it is deemed advisable to again offer it for selection. The Tangowahine Settlement will be offered as soon as possible, it being expected that the Crown will obtain possession of the whole area at an early date. Works are now in progress, and it is anticipated that the railway-line from Auckland to Dargaville will traverse the settlement. Clifton Settlement at date of writing has all been disposed of, and a satisfactory clearing sale held of the Crown stock, &c. Seven sections in this settlement were offered for ballot in January, but the demand was disappointing. The subdivisions were then recast, and additional areas added to some of the settlers' holdings, while three farms were offered for sale by public auction. These farms met with a ready demand, and were all purchased on deferred payments at prices in excess of the upsets. The settlement is now generally in good heart, and the prospects of settlers are very favourable. Although it cannot yet be said that land-values generally are on a thoroughly satisfactory basis, indications are not wanting that a more reasonable view is being taken by private owners of the value of their estates. The action taken by the Crown in the revaluation of properties held by discharged soldiers has undoubtedly had a good effect, but a wider realization is yet needed on the part of many owners and mortgagees of the necessity of writing down land and mortgage values in conformity with the productive capacity of the land. The prices asked for properties offered to the Crown during the year were in many cases too high to permit of favourable consideration, while some properties quite unsuitable for subdivision were placed under offer. Successful subdivision presents many difficulties under prevailing conditions, and can only be accomplished when suitable land can be acquired at prices that will permit of a fair return on the capital outlay plus the additional charges that are inseparable from the cutting-up of estates. There are, however, a fair number of estates in the Dominion that possess attractive qualities from a cutting-up point of view, and the Land Purchase Board is always willing to give the most careful consideration to the purchase of suitable properties.

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As was to be expected, the late feeling of uncertainty regarding stability of products and values has made the Board conservative in its purchases. The Land for Settlements Department has now been merged with the Lands and Survey Department, the Under-Secretary for Lands becoming Land Purchase Controller and Chairman of the Dominion Land Purchase Board. Mr. R. A. Rodger has been appointed as Land Purchase Inspector, and his varied experience and sound knowledge of farming economics should prove of great value in future operations. It is with regret that the retirement of Mr. J. D. Ritchie as Land Purchase Controller has to be chronicled, after many arduous years of official life. Mr. Ritchie joined the Government service in April, 1891, as Chief Inspector of Stock, and a year later was appointed as the first Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. In 1909 Mr. Ritchie was appointed Permanent Head of the Land for Settlements Department, which he controlled with conspicuous ability. Mr. Ritchie's labours on behalf of his country have the appreciation of all those who came in contact with him, and did much to advance the settlement of the Dominion. Proposals regarding legislation now under consideration will, if brought down, be of very considerable assistance in promoting land-settlement and improving the position of the settlers who come under the provisions of the Land for Settlements Act. Tables are appended summarizing the properties considered and acquired during the year, and showing the moneys received into and paid out of the Land for Settlements Account. I have, &c., J. B. Thompson, The Hon. the Minister of Lands. Land Purchase Controller.

Table A.—Number of Properties considered during the Year ended 31st March, 1927.

Table B. —Summary of Estates acquired up to the 31st March, 1927.

Land District. Number. ,^ re^ ) g'j^'J* ates ] Land District. Number. .'^ Ie^ >^il^ tate8 Acres. Acres. Auckland* .. .. 20 22,043 Westland Hawke's Bay| .. .. 9 15,873 Canterbury .. .. 5 17,170 Taranaki .. .. 2 2,752 Otago .. .. 1 635 Wellington .. .. 8 18,040 Southland .. .. 3 2,419 Marlborough .. .. 2 1,653 ' Nelson .. .. 1 80 Totals .. 51. 80,665 * Includes North Auckland. t Includes Gisborne.

Land District. Number. Area, Purchase-money. Acres £ Auckland* .. .. .. 99 590,733 1,529,768 Hawke's Bayf.. .. .. 63 311,426 2,356,804 Taranaki .. .. .. 25 27,628 369,818 Wellington .. .. .. 146 158,626 2,249,043 Marlborough 22 224,090 755,482 Nelson .. .. .. 14 48,821 150,473 Westland .. .. .. 2 5,125 8,343 Canterbury .. .. 173 447,596 3,444,747 Otago ' .. .. 73 293,188 1,779,317 Southland .. .. .. 25 90,637 457,786 Totals .. .. 642 1,997,870 13,101,581 * Includes North Auckland. f Includes Gisborne.

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Table C. —Statement of the Moneys received into and paid out of the Land foe Settlements Account foe the Year ended 31st March, 1927. Land for Settlements Account. Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 133,167 16 7 Purchase-money .. .. .. .. 88,030 11 9 Receipts under Land Act, 1924, see. 208 .. 212 9 0 Incidental expenses .. .. .. 76,692 11 5 Rents, &c. .. .. .. .. 357,322 2 2 Land-for-settlement expenses, including " UnSales of— £ s. d. authorized" (£45) .. .. .. 3,172 17 4 Crown lands .. .. 46,503 8 1 Debentures redeemed .. .. .. 19,500 0 0 Settlement lands . . .. 53,506 4 7 Expenditure under sec. 20 (4), Discharged 100,009 12 8 Soldiers Act, 1923 (payment to Discharged Interest on sales of — Soldiers Settlement Account in respect of Crown lands .. .. 657 6 8 amount added to the capital value of land) .. 370 0 0 Settlement lands .. .. 24,032 17 1 Interest under sec. 208, Land Act, 1924 .. 203 18 4 — 24,690 3 9 Expenditure under sec. 20 (3), Land Act, 1924 Recoveries on account of settlements .. .. 2,042 19 0 (payment in respect of land obtained for GoRecoveries on account of expenses incidental to vernment works, now deemed to be settlement estates .. .. .. .. .. 11,250 0 1 land) .. .. .. .. .. 40 0 0 Interest on securities held by Investment Account 5,096 010 Land for Settlements Act, 1925, sec. 45 (1) (b) Debentures issued —New Loans Act, 1908, Land and (3) —Recoupment to Ordinary Revenue for Settlements Act, 1925, sec. 44 .. .. 100,000 0 0 Account of amount charged thereto for reducAmounts received under Land for Settlements tion of funded debt .. .. .. 465 16 8 Act, 1925, in respect of settlement land con- Charges and expenses of raising loans . . .. 258 2 6 verted into ordinary Crown land or national- Land Act, 1924, sec. 139 —" Thirds " and endowment land .. .. .. .. 1,353 12 0 "fourths" paid to Local Bodies' Deposit Accounts .. .. .. .. .. 97 18 1 Expenditure, sec. 83 (3), Land Act, 1924 (payment in respect of improvements) .. .. 38 0 0 Recoupment of management charges of consolidated stock .. .. .. .. 322 19 10 Recoupment of stamp duty on transfers of consolidated stock .. .. .. .. 6 8 3 Amount appropriated from sale and in payment for settlement land converted into ordinary Crown land . . .. .. .. 250 0 0 Amount paid in respect of Crown lands proclaimed land-for-settlement lands .. .. .. 307 15 0 Expenses in connection with the acquirement of land under Reserves and other Lands Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act, 1925, sec. 18 (1) (6) .. .. .. .. 2,304 10 I Interest recouped to Consolidated Fund .. 357,630 11 6 Interest on sales of Crown land under Land Laws Amendment Act, 1926 .. .. .. 22,000 0 0 Balance at end of year — £ s. d. Cash in Public Account .. 21,515 2 4 Imprests outstanding in the Dominion .. .. 837 13 0 Investment Account .. 141,100 0 0 163,452 15 4 £735,144 16 1 £735,144 16 1 Land for Settlements Account (Discharged Soldiers Settlement Account). Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. Balance at beginning of year .. .. .. 71,273 2 6 Expenditure under Land for Settlements Act, 1925, Sec. 45. Receipts from settlements— £ s. d. £ s. d. Rents .. .. .. 70,899 5 0 Acquirement of estates .. .. 600 0 0 Sales .. .. .. 3,567 10 3 Expenses incidental to estates .. .. 7,532 18 9 Interest on sales .. .. 430 9 II Expenditure under sec. 20 (4), Discharged Soldiers' 74,897 5 2 Settlement Amendment Act, 1923, in respect of Receipts incidental to settlements .. .. 895 17 8 advances from Discharged Soldiers Settlement Interest on securities held by Investment Account 1,797 12 11 Account .. .. .. .. .. 54 0 0 Interest received on temporary transfers to other Temporary transfers to other accounts .. .. 20,000 0 0 accounts under Public Revenues Act, 1926 .. 87 13 4 Annual appropriation: Vote—Land for Settlement Amounts received for settlement land converted to of Discharged Soldiers Expenses .. .. 2,658 1 1 ordinary Crown lands or national-endowment Balance at end of year— £ s. d. land .. .. .. .. .. 54 0 0 Cash in Public Account .. 23,273 11 6 Acquirement of estates (credits in reduction) .. 112 19 9 Investment account .. 95,000 0 0 118,273 11 6 £149,118 11 4 £149,118 11 4 Land for Settlements Account (Opening up Grown Lands Account). Receipts. £ s. d. Payments. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. .. 6,602 11 0 Annual appropriation (sec. 4) .. .. .. 13,968 19 7 Recoveries .. .. .. .. .. 354 Balance—Cash in the Public Account .. .. 9,060 311 Receipts under sec. 47, Land for Settlements Act, 1925 .. .. .. .. .. 15,168 11 7 Credits in aid of opening up land for settlement .. 1,254 15 7 £23,029 3 6 £23,029 3 6 I hereby certify that the Statement of Receijts ard Payments have heen duly examined and compared with the relative books and documents submitted for audit, and correctly state the position as disclosed thereby.— J. H. Fowler, Deputy Controller and Auditor-General.

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Table D. —Return of Land purchased and paid for from 1st April, 1926, to 31st March, 1927.

Approximate Cost of Paper.—Preparation, not given ; printing (600 copies), £4 17s. 6d.

Authority : W. A. G. Skinnek, Government Printer, Wellington.—l 927.

Price 3(2.]

Name of Owner. Locality. j pe^°® re . | Settlement, Area. | A ™™ nt £ s. d. Acres. ! £ General Trust Board, Church of Orakei .. .. By agreement Orakei .. .. 4 1,000 England Diocese of Auckland Coleman, B. .. .. Dargaville .. 7 10 0 By agreement Tangowahine .. 2,858 21,439 Ruangarehu Co., Ltd. .. Mata Survey 15 0 0 By agreement .. 6 91 District Field, J. C., and Chappie, W. A. Te Wera .. .. By agreement Te Wera .. 9,922 64,630 McBeth, J. D. W., Sloane, D., Lower Hutt .. By agreement Hutt Valley .. £ 430 Harris, W., and Bodmin, J. R. Hole's Trust .. .. Castlepoint .. By agreement Mataikona (add) .. 115 600 Mcintosh, J. .. . . Burke's Pass .. By agreement Burke's Pass Home- 247 495 stead j Totals .. 13,152 £88,685