CROWN LANDS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2130, 12 July 1907, Page 1

CROWN LANDS.

A YEAR’S OPERATIONS. CSpeeiixl to Times.) ■WELLINGTON, last night. Dealing with the year’s operations, the Hawke’s Bay Commissioner of of Crown Lands reports that the lands opened for sale and selection under the various terms during the year reached the total of 42,581 acres Oi this area 14,506 acres were offered for the first time and 28,075 acre's had heeu previously offered. A brisk demand for land continues, the difficulty of meeting which is considerable, and whether easy of access or otherwise, available areas have been largely applied for and wholly selected. In every instance the area shown as open for selection, viz., 19,797 acres, comprises pastoral runs and town lands exclusively, thus illustrating how eagerly land is selected in this district. This year’s revenue shows a decrease of £6172 on the total of last year. One of the chief contributing causes of this falling-off is the failure through inability or disinclination on the part of selectors under the occupation with right of purchase system to acquire the freehold of their holdings, as out of 44 leases under that tenure only five availed themselves of tho opportunity. Lands to bo opened.—The area available for selection, and part of which will be dealt with during the coining year, totals 140,12 S acres, 109,635 acres being in the Cook aim Waiapu counties under the optional and grazing run systems and 30,493 acres in Wuipawa and Hawke’s Bay counties under tho ojitional lease in perpetuity (land for settlements) and

pastoral run systems. Inspectors’ and rangers’ reports — One ranger visited 507 properties, with an area of 250,151 acres, on which lie found 1870 souls residing. The value of improvements required was £7S,OSG, as against £199,539 actually effected. 21,584 acres of the total area visited was felled, 20,231 acres wore grassed and 8142 acres in crops, whilst 452 buildings were erected thereon of a value of £20,521. Out of a total of 507 tenants, 104

were defaulters f<*r non-residence., 57 for improvements, 39 for other .causes, 8 due in some instances to want of schools or to insufficient means of access, although in this latter respect there is a marked improvement since last year. The other ranger reports that he visited 180 properties in the Poverty Bay district, with an area of 101,553 acres, and found that 470 souls resided, and that improve-

meats to the value of £174,959 had been effected, as against £54,440 actually required. The area felled on holdings visited was 04,000 acres, grassed 69,000 acres, and in crop 257 acres. The buildings erected were 221, of a value of £22,604. Position and Progress of Settlement—The high standard of settlement obtaining in this district has been well maintained during the year. The predictions of my predecessor as to its well-being and prosperity were fully justified. Settlement has proceeded apace, increasing steadily, and for lands which have been thrown ojien for selection there lias been keen competition in all eases, a good class of settlors being obtained. Especially is this so in the case of the Mangatalii settlement of 12,273 acres, opened for selection on the stli February last. The Land Board has been most careful in ex-

amining applicants, and in the endeavor to secure the best class of settlers rejected no less tlia 90 of the 151 who applied for the 22 allotments. On every hand there are unmistakable indications of satisfactory settlement, and the rangers’ report disclose further progress. The total improvements effected on all lands are valued at £199,539, and those required at £78,086. The stock earned stands at: Horses, 3714; sheep,. 379,550: cattle, 17,686; and pigs, 1394, being an increase of 67,586, as compared with the last period. The results of the year, both from the farmers’ and pastoralists’ points of view, have been excellent, prices all round being well sustained, and this department in consequence experiencing little or ncr trouble in collecting rents and enforcing the requirements of the Acts. AVith the sidendid climatic conditions which obtained here, landholders can hardlv avoid prosperity, and one is therefore with the present hopeful outlook quite safe in predicting another successful year. The rebate of rent of 476 tenants, holding an area of 221,358 acres have benefited to the extent of £997. Under the Crown Tenants’ Kent Rebate Act, 1900, and under the Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900, 389 tenants, holding a,, area of 214,017 acres, were granted rebates, amountin'- to £3561. These figures arc considerably in excess of last year’s totals of the number of tenants and arrears. Last year’s numbers have been further added to, and now 1361 tenants hold 830,565 acres, for which £01,720 is payable annually, or an average of £45 3s per tenant per annum. Nineteen tenants are in arrears. When it is remembered that the arrears for the past two years were £2102 and £1044 respectively, it will be seen that this constitutes a record

for the district. Forfeitures and Surrenders —4 here were 10 forfeitures for non-compli-anco with conditions, five bein - again selected and four not yet rc-offered. Six surrenders were accepted, two for subdivision and four unable to on. Five of these are again occupied, and one not yet re-offered.