GOVERNMENT ANXIOUS TO PURCHASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3571, 4 October 1916, Page 2

GOVERNMENT ANXIOUS TO PURCHASE.

AN APPEAL TO OWNERS

(Per PreSvS Association}

.„ WELLINGTON, October 3. „

The Government desires to acquire. by purchase good land in all districts throughout the" Dominion, and, wherever possible, in blocks of considerable area, in order that soldier settlements may be constituted. A number of offers of small areas of good land and a less number of offers of larger areas of inferior-land have been received. -All such offers have been considered, and in some cases purchases have been completed; but the principal purpose which the Gov- : crnment has in view is not served by the method of desultory purchases of small properties divisible into a few holdings and separated by wide distances, nor is it possible by that method to ensure the acquisition of sufficient land in all parts of New Zealand to I afford returned soldiers the opportunity of settling in or near the districts from which they enlisted. ; ; The Government has, therefore, ■ resolved to make a public and .general request to all owners of estates of .considerable area < to set /-apart, portions of their properties, consisting of some of the best land in each property, for settlement by returned soldiers, and offer to the Government for purchase at fair prices for that purpose lands so set apart. ; Good land in fairly large areas, divisible into" a reasonable number of holdings, can only be secured by general consent of the owners of large estates throughout New Zealand to sell parts of their properties, and because such salos will enable the Government of New Zealand to provide land for our soldiers who*return from service in the war the Government trusts its request will meet v hearty response from owners

The alternative of the compulsory acquisition of the whole of several large properties would involve the expenditure of sums not, perhaps, in exce6B of the amount required for the purcjiase of parts of a much larger number of properties, but if that alternative were adopted the areas provided for settlement would b« limited to a fe\v districts, instead of being spread throughout the Dominion, and a quantity of land would in most cases be included which, though nrofitable when held in large :xrpas, might not be suitable for close subdivision.