THE EARTH-HUNGER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 768, 17 March 1910, Page 3

THE EARTH-HUNGER.

' VERY KEEN IN THE SOUTH. (By Telegraph.—Special Correspondent.) Christchurch, March 16. An applicant for a section in the .Tripp Settlement, in'chatting to a "Times" reporter last week, expressed himself in strong terms regarding the polioy of the Govornment in respect to land settlement. He said that the earth-hunger was still very keen, and-thnt.it was ridiculous for , the Government to go into the open market every year with a quarter of a million more or less, as a bait for the large landowners, who did not cultivate their lands, but waited until some, agitation was started in their district for the purchase of land for the people. He was of opinion that all persons holding over 500 acres of first-class land, or 3000 acres of third-class land, should be taxed heavily for all the land that they were possessed of above these areas. That would make many of them glad to place. land on the market, and prices would become easier, and thousands could be placed on lanjl to the benefit of all. • The settlor went on to say that he knew of a farmer of ten years' standing who owned 400 acres of freehold valued at £17per acre With mixed farming—grain and sheep—and paying all taxes, after allowing himself 5 per. cent, on the capital invested, he cleared from £500 to. JS6OO per annum. 'He employed two men all the year round, and let his harvest by contract. That showed what could be done on 500 acres of land, a trifle better than second-class. Incidentally, the farmer said that he was of. opinion the wheat statistics this year would be a long "way wide of the actual mark, as farmers, looking forward to threshing about 00 bushels to the acre, would find that their yields would approximate _ from 10 to 50 bushels, and those looking for 45 bushels would find the crop nearer 28 or 30.. Wheat would m or purposes. Ewes also would be dear next \ spring, on account of farmers being short of feed. F 0 having sown wheat during the last few years, because of the good prices obtainable, a great, deal of land that had been in wheat would have to be put down in grass. . The following, is an extract from a let-, ter written by the occupier of a large Crown leasehold at Flaxbourne to a * ® Christchurch: "We were, all in for the Blue Mountain run, drawn by ballot last week. It is a* run of • 6000 . The lucky winner "was M-Ug Violet ■Boyd/ There is no question that it is a . fortune for her. Anyone would have given £2000 to £3000 straight away. The annual rent is £200 a year. There were 160 applications. -There is a nice block of country coming out at ICekerangu soon. I am.going to have all the applications I can in for it."