THE LAND POLICY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2063, 14 December 1907, Page 3

THE LAND POLICY.

SPEECH BY MIL McNAB. OTAUTAU, Dec. 13. Speaking at a banquet tendered to him at Otautaii, Mr. McNab, Minis,er f.,r Lands, touched upon land cttlement. lie said, he wished to disabuse their minds of any idea that .ho freehold was done a may _ with, i he idea of the' Government was to pm niofe freehold land on the market during the next 10 years than uiv previous Government had done .n *2O years. Every encouragement was given for tile division of large properties. In tlie minds of large owners there mas growing a knowledge that the people of the country have set their "faces sternly against large aggregations .of land under one ■man. The half a million set apart for closer settlement had been exceeded. The Government xvas just (Reel in asking those with land to stan-a •.ride in the meantime until the de,lands of those without land .were a tidied. For the first time during ,ho history of land legislation prefer■nce had been given to a family as (•gainst the individual. 'The (Minister gave the following '((formation regarding closer settlement of land. The estates available

?u*o: (1) Rexvi in Auckland district, 171,-' ISO -acres, to be opened, for selection 23tb January, the area sot apart for preference to married applicants ,-,-itlf families being 5050 acres. ’ (2) ’Flic Ponrerere settlement in Haxvke’s Bay district, 2210 acres, will be opened for selection on 22nd January, and tlio area set apart for preference for married applicants with families is 737 acres. _ (3) Raumata settlement in Hawke’s Bay, 3596 acres will bo opened for selection on January 28, and tlio area set iMiart for preference to married applicants xvitli families will be 1133 reres. (1) Otekake settlement, Otago district, 29,925 acres, xvill be opened for selection on February 3rd, and 9750 acres xvill be set apart for .preference for married applicants with families. In each settlement a portion of tlie area lias also been set apart for preference to applicants who were unsuccessful iix previous ballots. •The ordinary Crown lands to be opened xvitli ill- the next six months Auckland. 39,000 acres.

Haxvke’s Bay, 15,000 acres. Taranaki, 36,000 acres. Marlborough, 24,000' acres. ■Making a total of 114,000 acres. Regarding land for settlement estates, Auckland contributed 20,000 acres. Hawke’s Bay 16,000 acres. Otago 3697, making a total of 39,69; acres, exclusive- of estates previously mentioned. The Minister explained at length tlie aspirations of the Agricultural Department in connection xvitli ex .peri-mental stations, and referred to the splendid results following the grading of dairy .produce. . “The time xvill come,” said the Minister. “when the results of the investigations pursued in other countries xvill no longer be practicable. Tlie only tiling must be investigation bv our own scientific experts of the conditions obtaining ‘in the Dominion. Such .work can onlv he carried out ipi tier the auspices of tho Agricultural Department.”