LAND SETTLEMENT.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 490, 10 August 1912, Page 5

LAND SETTLEMENT.

LAST YEAR'S OPERATON3

DEPARTMENTAL REPORT

A vigorous year in Crown lands settlement is described in the Lands Department's annual report. The area opened for se'lection during the year aggregated, under all tenures, 965,993 acres. Of this amount, an area of 143,045 acres was available for selection under the optional system, being 20,200 acres greater than in the previous year. Under the renewable lease system the area advertised was 182,799 acres—an increase of 108,869 acres over that in the previous year. The number of selectors was larger than that of the previous four years, the increased area being principally due to the pastoral runs that were relet in the land districts of Canterbury andOtago. Most interesting of the statistical matter, however, is that showing the Crown land remaining for future disposal. The area of Crown land suitable for settlement remaining for future disposal at the 31st March. 1912, was, approximately, 4,272,735 acres. This does not include an area of 1,242,473 acres open for selection in the Land Guide. The total area available is therefore 5,515,208 acres, and this, at the same rate of settlement, will-last only a few more years. The greater portion of this area must be classified as second and third-class land. That which can be considered as first-class will not exceed a quarter of a million acres.

The report adds that advantage is also taken of subdividing wherever possible pastoral country upon the termination of the current leases, but as this process has now been in opera tion for some years, it is not considered that there can be many more of the large runs that can be profitably dealt with in his manner.