GO ON THE LAND!

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 556, 10 July 1909, Page 8

GO ON THE LAND!

is;'' v'-"-j.:- f ,;;%■;,• - . SECTIONS FOR 400 SETTLERS. , / GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSALS. • ~.- Speaking; to-ia Dominion -reporter yestor- :■: day, tho Hon.-D. Buddo, Aoting-Ministor for • Lands,-stated that it had boon finally docidod to havo 400 sections, provided'for small farms under tho Imperial Farm Settlement / Regulations. . The sections would, .lio coni. ' - tinuod, :vary in area from 100 to 200 acres, according to tho 'quality <of : tho land. Acoording to tho report of tha Crown Lands Com'missionor tho tsections would bo in tho .Wei- ! lirigton,. Taranaki, and' Auckland provinces, theso ' being tho 'only srutablo Crown availablo within a .'.reasonable : distance ,of ■rail or harbour, which' was absolutely' essen•tial for tho success of the schome. ' ' : \- '/ Provision would, , Mr. Bnddo said, bo mado : -in .that number of sections for civil servants , Jas '; w"cll as- workers and othors who. might ', ■ 'car'o to-be; applicants, ilt was not intended . to ; make any distinction; between thoso ready : to'tako'up tho sections.' Commissioner ' would receive -the wholo of tho applications ■ ;for all classes of land, :and the various land boards, as empowered .by the regulations, ; ■ -would select the applicants .who were eligible to, ballot for choice; of sections. ,: All would ';be treated alike, - but it would jbo -competent ■for. : tho boards to set aside certain, sections ■ ! :,'for a list of -special applicants. That matter • .would bo.ileffc entirely to the boards,' "A ;]iboral: allowance would be made on tho clearing of up to .60 acres -on ;each section, but i ■ -there .would be' power to vary tho acreago i somewhat, consequent' on 'tho naturo of tho land.- Where tho land was all fern or, scrub | •more clearing would bo required. ' Each class :; -, 'of ( l3iid would, be carefuly. scheduled,.so, that i - . : the advances iwould in proportion to the-work to be done. ■ (/: , Mr. Buddo ivenfi on to say that tho Com'missionor of Crown Lands would provide grass , f': seed to be paid • for out of the allowance for each . acre cleared: and grassed. There .would . .also be a substantial sum allowed'.to-married v , mon for..buildings and fencing' their homesteads. .Tho moneys . advanced: for. improve- . ;ments would be -added to the capital of the ' land, and thc ,lessee* would pay rent on tho . 1 snnv capitalised/ but 'Hot till' after his first :>. ."burn.' Very . stringent: regulations would -(' life-feet .out with reference to residence and . .to prevent the transfer, of the land in order that only bona-fido. settlement might, be se- . : cu^ed. . .It was cxpectcd_ that the sections: would be' open for Selection early in spring. v.-< The setting aside of the. sections- was 'done; -.. • with a two-fold object. -In tho first placc it. ; was, desirable to encourage small settlement of- those who had not suffioient capital to take up a bigger land interest. Tho sooond object, in if .possible to dravf away from; the'.labonr.'mariiet ; those workers' who vroro prepared to tako up land; ' > ; ' "It. is. to bo:, hoped;" added Mr. Buddo,. - "that 'if -tho sections are .'-of sufficient area • to make a living off applicants will be plentiful for them. There is no reason to believe that the .proposal will not bo carried out to a;_successfnl ■ is3no. Most of the efforts in : this.:directi<m; have previously, been ' snccessful, and / thero .is no reason, why. this one : . / should not be equally so. i'The quality of the land to bo offered varies from light "bush to •open tussock land, nnd should.be more easily broken in to profitable occupation than heavy .. . husTi- or 6wamp. As a matter of fact, no . .: heavy,: bush is now allowed to bo occupied except.undGr'-timber'licenso. ,'