SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 11, 8 October 1919, Page 8

SOLDIER SETTLEMENT

PROGRESS IN WELLINGTON

PROVINCE

A BIG YEAR'S WORK

Tho report of the Commissioner of : Crown Lands (Mr. G. H. M. M'Cluro), embodied in the report of the Repatriation Department, gives somo particulars of the progress made in the provision of land for soldiers in the Wellington distriofc during tho year 1918-19. "During the year," states tho Commissioner, "two estates, aggregating 792 acres, were acquired,, subdivided into eight dairy farms, and all wero selected.' Four allotments in estates purchased during previous years, aggregating 457 acres, were also allotted: In addition nineteen sections of bush lands comprising 12,401 acres iwere-selected, and twenty-ono holdings which had beon surrendered or forfeited' during the year, comprising 2749 acres, were reallotted. Eighteen estates, aggregating 5732 acres, wero purchased under the provisions of'section 3 of the Discharged Soldiers' Settlement Aot, 1917, at a cost of X 90.585. Threo of these wore divided into eleven farms, makin" twenty-six selectors, of whom iitteen are dairying and the remainder using their, holdings for sheep and mixed farming. Tho total selections were thus seventy-seven,' comprising 22,151' sxres. Six selectors surrendered an area of Sil acres and these had not been reelected at the close of the year, being principally' dairying and cropping land. Ilia other amis available for selection were thirteen sections of bush country, comprising 12,323 acres. "Of the 250 settlers shown as holding at the close of the year, 125 are, or will be. using their farms for grazing-nbout eHity-five sections comprising uusli areas' being gradually brought into pasture—andllO are dawying, . the remainder being small allotments m isolated' localities where.. the holder will run a cow and keep poultry as an addition to providing himself with a homo. On seventy-five sections of bush country tho selectors have to date felled and grassed 7743 acres, 1720 acres of which have been felled, burned, and grass-seed sown this seasons The value of improvements is £14,362, and the stock on theso holdings ccjnipriso 1306 cattle, <9 calves 6318 sheep, 109 horses, and 03 pigs, valued- at 418,269. "The reports of the rangers on the various settlements are, generally speaking, very, satisfactory, and the success of the settlers on the whole of these settlements, with the exception of perhaps two, is practically assured. In somo cases the settlers are doing particularly well, as for example the Wainuioru block, which is grazing country, and the Kopane settlement, which is purely dairying. On this settlement one of the settlors todk a gross sum of £M for the season off a thirty-one acre section, which emphasises tho fact that high-class dairy land is "» most suit- • "There were twenty-three surrenders and forfeitures, and- only thirteen of these may be considered as failures. In my report of the previous year I anticipated that about 13 per cent, .woulo: not succeed, but the percentage of this years figures is only 5.2, which indicates that as those who were not fitted for farming relinquished their holdings they were replaced by a better class of man, and. emphasising what I have always contended, that if men are found who will work their farms to tha fullest capacity there will be no doubt of their ultimate success on the land. . "The sum of £28,250 was advanoed under section 2 of the Disoharged Soldiers' Settlement Amendment Act, 1917, for the purchase and discharge of mortgages of sixteen properties, comprising an area of 3677 acres, of which six ate date farms, seven are used for grazing, and three for poultry and; market gardening. Bi"ht of these purchases 'wero Crown leaseholds. Tho sum of £96,G59 was advanced for the purchase, or erection of 140 dwellings on other than rural land."