The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1932. LAND SETTLEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1932, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 1932. LAND SETTLEMENT.

The necessity of extending land settlement in the Dominion with a view to sti.l further increasing the output of produce, is fully recognised, and some interesting figures on the activities .of the authorities 1 in this connection were recently given by the Minister of Lands. Since the passing of the 1929 legislation, the question of laud settlement has been actively fostered, and it is recorded that during the three years ended in March last there were 2080 farms' with a total area of 738,400 acres /Selected by ne,w settlers in New Zealand. The statement recently made by the Minister showed that steady progress had been maintained in the placing of new settlers on the land. The Lands Department has been able to make available for settlement numerous areas of various classes of laud throughout the Dominion, Of the farms so taken Up 95fi comprised properties that had never previously beep selected, The .total area of ther,e entirely new farms >vas about 200,0C0 acres, and they included 247 farms provided out of estates and subdivided for closer settlement. The' remainder, 1125, chiefly comprised partially-improved and deteriorated sections which had been forfeited or abandoned, and which were re-selected with advances for development. Good progress has also been made with land development operations. Development work has been carried out on twelve blocks, totalling 78,090 acres, of which 31,000 acres are being developed. So far over 12,000 acres have been laid down in grass, while 86(10 acres' have been cleared of scrub and bush and wi l be burnt and sown in due course. The expenditure on these blocks amounts to £171,000, and it is estimated they will provide 275 holdings, practically all of ! which will be devoted to dairying. No settler’s have yet been placed on the development areas, but 34 partly-de-veloped farms on which it will be possible to carry dairy stock right away are l being offered to the public this month. Selectors of these areas will be able to apply for development advances to assist them in the further improvement. of. the farms.., The system of granting development advances to individual settlers under the legislation of 1929 has greatly facilitated the opening up of numerous areas of unimproved land, and has resulted in a fairly steady demand for this class of country. Over £141,000 has' already been authorised in advances to settlers, and fresh applications are being dealt with from month to month,