The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1886. Crown Lands Department.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1300, 28 July 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prævalebit. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1886. Crown Lands Department.

The annual report of the Secretary for Crown Lands to the Hon. the Minister of Lands contains a variety of interesting and valuable information with regard to the Crown Lands of the colony, of which the following is a summary. It is satisfactory to observe that, notwithstanding the low prices for agricultural and pastoral produce, there has been a greater area of Crown lands disposed of during the twelve months ended March 31, xSS6, than duting the previous year. The principal dealings with the Crown lands during the year yielded the following revenue: Lands sold on immediate payment, ,£57,276 is 3d; lands sold on deferred payment, ,£'79 523 12s Sd; agricultural leases on goldfields, £2369 12s 4d; perpetual leases, £3120 4s 3d; pastoral rents, £167,080 8s 2d ; miscellaneous, 6s 1 id. During the same term 482 reserves, covering an rggregate area of 26,800 acres, were gazetted for public purposes. Under forest reserves there is, including what were gazetted in the three previous years, an aggregate area of 606,214 acres. The plantation reserves in the Canterbury provincial district cover an area of 26,280 acres, and Mr E. G. Wright, the Chairman of the Plantation Board, has furnished an interesting report upon their present condition. The Secretary for Crown Lands, after acknowledging the services rendered by the Board, adds —“ As it is proposed to transfer the functions of the Board to the several County Councils, the most cordial acknowledgments of the department are due the members of the Planting Board for their onerous and skilful services, freely and gratuitously rendered.” The disposal of lands on the systems of deferred payment, perpetual lease, special and village settlements is now developed to such an extent as to have become the principal work of the Land Department. During the year 1009 'selectors took up 115,257 acres, and these, with the selectors of former years whose engagements are still current, make a total of about five thousand settlers in account with the department, and holding an area of over half a million acres on conditions of residence and the improvement of the soil. In the Land Act Amendment of 1884 provision was made for small

grazing runs, but, owing to certain defects in the Act, nothing was done until the passing of the Act

of 1885. The main principle of the system "as it now stands is an absolute lease for twenty-one years, with right

of renewal for another twenty-one

years, of an area not exceeding five thousand seres, the other terras being residence, and the effecting of improve ments equal in value to four annual rents of the run during the first six years of the lease. After that there is no condition save the payment of the rent half-ye’arly, The tenancy gives full power to the lessee over the soil for crop or grazing as he may wish. At the end of thefirst term ot twenty-one years tsvo valuations are made, one of the land and one of the improvements, by two valuers, one selected by the tenant and one by the Government. The tenant has the offer of the run for the second twenty-one years at the rent of 2% per cent on the value of the land fixed by the valuers. Should he elect to retire from the run, the lease will then be offered for sale by public auction, burdened with the full

valuation of improvements, which the incoming tenant must pay to the. outgoing before being let into possession Already 62 runs have been taken up under this system and there are now 127 runs, covering 241,414 acres, open for application. It is believed that the small run system will prove very suitable for the settlement of broken, hilly country, where, although the soil may be ’good, only certain portions are arable, the hill-sides and gullies being suitable for pasture. An area of over eleven million acres is held in 1246 leases, on pastoral lease or license, at an average rental of an acre. The report upon the thermal springs of the colony is of a very satisfactory character. Dr Ginders, the medical officer at Rotorua, considers that the recenvolcanic eruptions have actually benet fitted the hot springs in the district. That part of the report referring to the agriculture of the colony has been anticipated by the report of Mr W. de G. Reeves, the officer in charge of the Agricultural Department, and the appendices we must leave for more detailed examination on some future occasion.

It is gratifying to find that the Com mittee of the Aahburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association is able to congratulate members upon the steady progress made by the Association, as a promoter of an annual competitive exhibition, during the past year. The report shows that the last exhibition held under the auspices of the Association attracted a larger number of entries than any {of its predecessors So far, this is satisfactory, but it appears from the balance sheet accompanying the report that the result was largely due to the additions, numerical and monetary, made to the prle list. Compared with the previous year the entry fees show an increase of £lO 4s, and the prise money an increase of £ll6 18s Id. During the previous year the Association made a profit of £165 4s 6d, during last year it made a loss of £6 10s. The amount of subscriptions, thanks to the efforts of the indefatagable Secretary, has increased by £l2 15s 9d, and the amount of the private prizes by £4 13j ; but the amount of gate money, the real index to the popularity of thi annual exhibitions, has decreased by £6 17a lid, and that notwithstandirg the fact thatJhe last show had a great advanItage in the'matter of weather. Bat stilt the show itself was a success, and we

have no desire to aay one word in disparagement of the late committee Any short-comings are due to the apathy of the farmers, very few of whom have displayed the slightest practical concern for the welfare of the Association. An annual show, held with vatying success, should not be the sole aim and end of an Agricultural and Pastoral Society. There are scores ol other matters which might very probably engage its attention and we hope the proceedings at yesterday’s meeting of the Ashburton Society will ultimately lead to a wider appreciation and a more general.eraployment of the Society’s power for good.