C—9a

1916. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY. DISCHARGED SOLDIERS SETTLEMENT. SUPPLEMENTARY STATEMENT ON THE OPERATIONS OF THE DISCHARGED SOLDIERS SETTLEMENT ACT, 1915.

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Leave.

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, Ist June, 1916. Sir — The following is the result of the transactions as at the Ist June, 1916 :— Total number of provisional applications received ... ... ... 686 Total number granted ... ... ... ... ... ... 79 Total area granted ... ... ... ... ... (acres) 23,794 Total number of soldiers who obtained land under section 24 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1915 ... ... ... ... 27 Total area granted under section 24 ... ... ... (acres) 78,919 At the 31st March, 1916, only 272 provisional applications had been received, and only two applications had been granted. Applications could not be dealt with until the necessary surveys were completed, but from the foregoing it will be observed that much has been done within the last two months, and in addition to this an area of 110,661 acres will shortly be ready for selection. The following are the particulars of the area: —

Total area proclaimed to date under the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act: 98,598 acres. I have, &c, T. N. Brodrick, Under-Secretary for Lands. The Right Hon. W. F. Massey, P. 0., Minister of Lands, Wellington.

Approximate Cost ol Paper. —-Preparation, not given ; printing (850 copies), £1 2s. (id.

Authority : Marcus F. Marks, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9l6,

Price 3d.)

Land District. Number of Sections. Area. Purpose for which Land suitable. Auckland Hawke's Bay Taranaki Wellington Otago ... Southland 89 32 7 130 18 5 13,955 26,220 3,122 45,580 Fruit, dairying, and cultivation. Sheep-farming. Mixed farming. Mostly grazing ; small portion dairying ; nearly all bush land. Grazing. Dairying. 21,136 648 281 110,661