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1947 NEW ZEALAND

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY SETTLEMENT OF CROWN LANDS (ANNUAL REPORT ON)

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, 30th June, 1947. Sir, — I have the honour to submit the annual report on the settlement of Crown lands for the year ended 31st March, 1947, together with particulars of operations under the Small Farms Act, 1932-33, the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1929, and the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act, 1943. I have, &c., D. M. Greig, Under-Secretary. The Hon. the Minister of Lands.

REPORT

GENERAL REVIEW The acquisition and development of land for the settlement of returned servicemen have been major activities of the Department during the past year. There has also been a substantial increase in the volume of work arising as a result of operations under the Servicemen's Settlement and Land Sales Act, 1943. Details of operations under these headings are given in later sections of this report. Returns from the various land districts indicate that, in spite of shortage of labour and insufficient supplies of fertilizer and fencing-materials, Crown tenants generally have had a satisfactory year. Where tenants are located on the harder types of country the lack of ample supplies of fertilizer is very noticeable and production is beginning to suffer. A Royal Commission was appointed during the year to inquire into and report on claims preferred by members of the Maori race touching certain lands known as surplus lands of the Crown. Inquiries by the Commission are proceeding. As at 31st March, 1947, the tenants on the books of the Department numbered 34,693, occupying a total area of approximately 17,402,616 acres.