LAND SETTLEMENT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1454, 31 May 1912, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT.

SURVEY AND SELECTION. STEPS TO PREVENT AGGREGATION. For tho five-year period ending March 31 last 8131 persons selected an area of 2,610,000 acres. This compares very favourably with, the preceding five-year period ending March 31, 1907, the figures for which are 3110 persons, with an area <f 2,275,000 acres—the average holding for the five years being 321 acres, ami the previous five years 270 acres. Gryat progress is being made in that all-important problem, tho settlement of the land, and that the Government is alive to tho necessity of energetically preparing the Crown estate for the people is indicated by the following figures regarding survey. At the present time there are 609,000 acres of rural lands being surveyed for settlement purposes, made up as under:—Auckland land district, 198,050 acres Ifawke's Bay, 56,000 acres: Taranaki, 95.000 acres: Wellington, -1-9,000 acres; Nelson, 97,000 acres; Marlborough, 7000 acres; Wcstland, 5000 acres; Canterbury, 53,000 acres; Otago and Southland, 10,000 acres. The total number of surveyors engaged upon this work is 58i There are at present ad vertised in the Land Guide Crown lands to the extent of 1,191,800 acres. Tho districts in which the largest areas are available are: Auckland, 310,000 acres; Nelson, 1(3,000 acres; Westland, 655,000 acres. Tho area owned for selection during the past year amounted to 773,951 acres under all tenures. It is my earnest desire that further areas should be open for selection at the earliest possible moment, and I have given instructions to the Department to continue to press forward the preparation of the areas for sale and selection, and to do everything possible to accelerato settlement.

Limitation of Area. Experience has shown that land at the present time is capable, with profitable utilisation, of supporting a family in much smaller areas than was considered possible some years ago when tho I,and Act prescribed 640 acres of firstclass land; 2000 acres of second, and 5000 acres of third-class land as the maximum which a person could acnuiro from the Crown. Tho expansion of the dairying industry and the improved methods and conditions of cultivating land show that the time has arrived to amend the law to reduce and restrict the occupation of land to tho following limits:— 400 acres of first-class, land, or 1000 acres of second-class land, or 2500 Acres of third-class land. Owing to the great diversity that exists in the quality and character of laud throughout New Zealand, it is also necessary that the value of the land should be a determining factor in deciding the size of an allotment for a family, and although it is proposed to fix by statute the acreage limit referred to previously, nevertheless it is intended that the Act will be so interpreted as to provide that only where necessary shall an allotment reach the maximum area. In the majority of cases the holdings will contain areas that may be considered sufficient after an examination based upon their possible productiveness and the position which they may occupy in regard to facilities for the marketing of Ilie produce, liv this means if is hoped that tlio remaining portion of the Crown lands will be dcalj: with in such a manner that the largest number of possible settlers may be placed thereon. Non-Aggregation of Land. That it is necessary to take some steps to prevent aggregation of land is evident to those who aro aware of what is taking place at the present time, and it will be my endeavour to pass legislation to check any improper aggregation in so far as it may be possible, with regard to tho lands that are to be disposed of in the future by the Crown. When Crown lands are subdivided and placed upon the market such subdivision lias been made and the size of the allotments fixed so as to give an area sufficlient to support a settler and his family in reasonable comfort, and therefore it is not intended, nor ought it he allowed, without reasonable cause that one man should occupy two holdings each of which may support « family. This reduction of area should be made to apply to the eases of Crown lands sold in freehold, as to future transfers or sales, that I is, all future purchasers of Crown lands, the freehold of which is now granted, [ ought to be compelled to make a similar declaration as applicants for Crown lands—that they do not hold land above the prescribed limit. This will ensure I that when tlio Crown parts with the freehold of uny section, aggregation tin undue propoitions will be cheeked. At present, the law provides Unit any land that has been sold by the Crovvn iu fee simple since Xoveinbi'r 20, 1907, shall remain subject fo Ilie Laud Act, am! it is not lawful for any person In inquire any interest ill land so 'subject lo Ilie Act if he ;i totnl area of nil) acres of first-class land. It is considered advisable to provide legislation to reduce the area

to ■100 acres of good land, ;ind to prevent evasions of (lie Ad, safeguards can bo prepared imposing sn !».-;(;< n (til I j.-eiiii K io.-i for all infringements. Lands for Settlement. _ Tlio question of finding lnntl for lliose ill .search of it is still an insistent one, and it behoves the Government lo meet I ho demand as much as it is possible and equitable lo do so. Tho Crown lands are being mailed and placed in the market as rapidly as possible. There are llirecquarters of a million acres now -under survey.- The Covernmenl have purchased lor further subdivision some estates, ami would have acquired many more were il nnt that the owners do not see their way to sell at prices which would enable tliem to be settled with a possibility of financial success by inci>niilenanls'. The lime has, therefore, arrived lo make another forward movement in (lie matter of closer settlement, and I propose to take action in tlio direction of introducing legislation so as to provide that no one person should bo able to inherit, upon the death of an owner of laud, mora than a certain area of first-class laud or tlio proportionate areas of other classes of land. Jf a toslator did not accordingly make a distribution of his estate lo comply with this intention, it would bo provided that the laud .should, 11 poll payment of the valuation fixed by arbitration ill (lie usnal manlier, become Crown land, and be dealt with accordingly. vr National Endowment. In regard to the area set apart for the endowing of education and old age pensions bv the Act of 1907. the area at present leased amounts to 6,276,700 acres, the rent roll for this amounts lo the .sum of «£BS,OOO. The amount is also supplemented by the money received from timber .and | coal royalties, collccled under licenses issued i'rom time to time. For tho past ! three years the revenue obtained from the endowment is as follows:— .£ For the year 1909-1910 75.100 For tho year 1910-1911 91,7110 For tlio year 1911-1912 90,100 This is very gratifying, and shows that as years go by this will be a valuable endowment for education and old age pensions. Tlio area at present in tlio endowment amounts to t5,313,70U acres, which is Dots,,'loo acres less than the nine million acres set apart by the Act. Not only do I intend Id assist in bringing Crown and Nativo kinds speedily on to the market, but also to ileal with lands hitherto considered valueless. A Vital Problem. A vital problem to the country is that of land settlement. It must bo gratifying to the country to know' that tile purchases under the Laud for Settlements Act have been considerably larger during tlio period April 1, 1911, to May 21, 1912, than for some time previously. The number of largo properties suitable lor closer settlement, especially in the South Island, is now very limited, whilo the prices demanded have precluded th-e board recommending the purchase of many of them. Quite a number, however, have within tho past few years been subdivided and settled at high figures by tho owners. A number of small agricultural properties ore offering and tho desirableness of securing several of these is now being considered by tlio Land Purchase Board. There is a" very great demand for grazing properties, and the board is directing its attention to the purchase of freeholds' ail ioining Crown leaseholds which t.re suitable for closer settlement and upon which there are no homestead sites. Under the present provisions of the Land for Settlements Act, it is found that in ninny instances owners have so increased the unimproved values of their properties that it is impossible to acquire these compulsorily. The Government therefore intends to provide for the compulsn-y takiiig of lands under the provisions originally applying prior to ilie Land for .Settlements Act, of 190 S.