THE APPROACHING CROWN LANDS SALE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4223, 2 October 1874, Page 2

THE APPROACHING CROWN LANDS SALE.

The announcement recently advertised in our columns that upwards of 100,000 acres ot Crown'lands in this Province would shortly be offered for sale by auction has excited considerable interest, both here and in other parts of the Colony. Such being the case, it may prove useful and interesting to many persons if we furnish some information relative to the position, quality, and general characteristics of the lands in question. Taking the sections in the order in which they are published, they will be most conveniently described under separate heads. LAND IN WAITOTARA DISTRICT. There are seven sections in the Waitotara district, which is situated a few miles north of the town of Wanganui. These sections vary in size from 45 to 275 acres each, the upset price ranging from 10s. to 40s. an acre, according to quality. Two of these sections consist of bush laud, the soil being of fair quality ; three others are light open fern land, slightly sandy ; while the remainder are partly open and partly bush. LAND ON LEFT BANK OF WANGANDI RIVER. The land on the left bank of the Wanganui River is surveyed into sections ranging from 60 to 175 acres each. The upset price is exceedingly low-, being only 10s. an acre. The most of the sections are covered with timber, which is valuable for fencing and other purposes. The land when partially cleared will make excellent pasture, and grasses have spread all about the locality, owing to the fact that for many years the settlers’ cattle have been running over it. The sections to be offered for sale are situated about eight miles from the Town of Wanganui. THE PARAE-KAHETD BLOCK. The largest area of land on the West Coast included -within the forthcoming sale is that known as the Parae-Karetu block, adjoining the Upper llangitikei district, and containing an area of 44,000 acres. This block has been described by Mr. A. F. Halcombe, who, at the request of the General Government, made a special visit to it, with the view of ascertaining its general value and capabilities, and there is also an excellent report made on the same subject by Mr. Donald Hugh Monro, who executed a general survey of the block for the Natives. Mr. Monro states that the block is easily accessible from Wanganui by a bridle track, along which an excellent road could be made, crossing the lowest saddle between the Wangaehu and Turakina Elvers, which is situated at the Mangahowhi stream. The distance from Wanganui to the south-west corner of the block would be nineteen miles by this route, and road lines could easily be carried from thence up by the Turakina River, and through the large valley of the Mangahowhi udth its level bottom and geatly sloping sides, on to the north-east comer. The quality of the land in the block varies considerably. That on the Turakina side is for the most part covered with fern, manuka, and light bush. Several large flats are to be found near the side of the Turakina River, and this part of the block is admirably adapted for settlement, the land being rich and well drained, with sufficient level country for cultivation. Further back from the river the country presents a succession of ridges with valleys lying between them. There are numerous small lakes at the base of the wooded hills, and the bush in this part of the block contains some good sawing timber, including totara. The Turakina River is navigable for canoes at all times of the year, except towards the end of summer. The north-east portion of the block contains some excellent open land, which extends in some places to near the Pourewa stream and most of the way down the Mangahowhi. The Pourewa

valley is easily reached-from the Hangitikoi side of the block, and the 'hcrse. track which runs through it has long been"’ used as a road to the upper settlements. The bush on this side of the block is very clear, and consists to a great extent of timbers, including totara, rimu, and matai. As the .Pourewa Yalley is almost perfectly flat, and the stream which runs through it passes over a shallow shingle bed, there will be abundance of materials and no difficultv in forming a road to the upper boundary on this side of the block. About 400 acres in the Pourewa Valley have been reserved from sale,, to form the site of a tovmship to be called “ Hunterville.” We have only to add that towards the centre of the block the country is more of a kind adapted for grazing purposes, and that the Pourewa Valley, after its timber has been utilised, would prove to be land of the most valuable character. Mr. Haleombe describes this country “as being a perfect paradise for the pioneer settler,” and adds, “ that stray cattle from the Rangitikei district have for the last twenty years been breeding undisturbed, and roam everywhere iu large mobs,” With respect to roads, it may be stated that a contingent vote of £SOOO was passed by the Provincial Council for making such roads to, and throughout the block. This sum of £SOOO is one of the items which came out of the £65,000 to be advanced to the Province under the Act of last session of the Assembly. The block is surveyed into sections varying iu size from 100 to 700 acres each, the upset price in most cases being 10a. an acre. Some of the sections, however, which are o superior value, have upset prices of 15s. an 20s. per acre. PALMERSTON—MANAWATD LANDS. The town sections in Palmerston, Manawatu district, which are included in the sale, consist of only eight in all—all in central positions, the rest of the sections in that district having all been taken up within the last six months. The sections to be sold are chiefly half-acres, with an upset price of from £ls to £45 each. A rural section in the same district, of 100 acres, has an upset price of £125. Palmerston sections often fetch much higher than the upset price at Government auction sales. The fact that Palmerston is the centre point from which several roads radiate, that it is connected with Eoxton by the tramway, and that the main railway line will pass through it, all serve to make land there a good investment. HUTT AND UPPER MUNGAROA. The sections in the Upper Hutt and the Mungaroa block are all bush laud, the country being somewhat broken. This sort of land, when, as in the present case, it is situated within convenient access of the railway line now iu course of construction, possesses a special value on account of its timber, which, apart from what might be found suitable for other purposes, null shortly command a ready market and excellent price as firewood. Year by year the supply of this article becomes scarcer, while its price is proportionally enhanced. The railway will open up some new sources of supply, but bush land within any reasonable distance of the City is very limited, and hence its value must increase. The land referred to is divided into sections of from 40 to 200 acres each, with an upset price of 10s. per acre. BLOCKS IN THE WAIBARAPA DISTRICT. About 2500 acres are offered for sale in theWairarapa district, consisting of lands situated in the Tupurupuru, Rangitumau, and Taratahi Plain blocks. The sections in the Tupurupuru block consist of the best bush land, containing abundance of the most valuable sawing timbers 4c ; ud as fine groves of totara as can be found anywhere in New Zealand. Red, white, and black pines are also in abundance, and the locality wilTadtimately supply a large amount of raw material, to the saw-mills. The soil is of good quality,’ and watered by numerous streams. This bloak is divided into sections varying from 60 to 2t50 acres, the upset price being 10s. an acre. '{ A similar description applies to the Rangitumau block, in which only seven sections, of 'from 80 to 100 acres each, remain undisposed of. As this laud is certain to be in brisk demaLd, the upset price has been fixed at £1 per acre! In the Taratahi Plain block there are three, _ sections to be offered for sale, ranging from 613 to 122 acres each. This land contains splenclM totara, besides other timbers. The country is flat and’ the soil of excellent quality. \ BLOCKS IN THE EAST COAST DISTRICT. The remainder of the lands included in the coming sale consist of 43,000 acres situated in the Aldteo and Pahaua blocks, East Coast district. In the Aldteo Block the 'sections vary in area from 600 to 1100 acres each, the bulk being about 1000 acres. The wljiole of this land will be put up at 7s. 6d. per aerje. It consists of average bush land coutajiiiug a considerable amount of good timber', of the usual varieties. The land in the Pahaua block consists of open country somewhat hilly, but well adapted for pastoral purposes. It corresponds in its general character with the “ x-uns’’ on the East Coast. The sections vary in size from 640 to 1300 acres each, and £he upset price is from ss. to 7s. 6d. per acre. , Having thus given a general description of these lands, it only remains to be added that the fullest information as to details can be obtained at the Crown Lands Office here. Lithographed maps can be supplied of most of the blocks, and in the case of others the original office maps will inform • intending purchasers as to the position, contents, &c., of all the sections. Any person interested in the approaching sale would possess a tolerably correct fund of information as to these lands if he obtained a set of the maps and examined them after reading this description. It is probable that the sale will belargely attended, not only by local land buyers, but also by people from the Middle Island, as many inquiries relating to the lands to be offered have been received from that quarter. The sale takes place on the 26th inst., commencing at 11 o’clock forenoon, in the Provincial Council Chamber.