The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1879.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5818, 21 November 1879, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY). FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1879.

We publish in another column a lengthy summary of the agricultural statistics of Victoria. "We direct attention to that colony because it has taken the lead in a policy especially intended to promote settlement and protect the interests of the small farmer. Under the Victorian Land Act of 1869 the free selector may take up 320 acres, to be held under license for three years, during which time the selector must reside on it at least two and a half years, must cultivate one acre out of every ten acres - must enclose the land, and effect improvements to the value of £1 per acre. He has to pay 2s. per acre rent for the three years, and may then either purchase the property outright at 14s. per acre, or may claim a seven years’ lease at a rental of 2s. per acre, and at the expiry of the term the freehold of the land reverts to the selector. As might be expected under this system the number of agricultural holdings, varying from 100 to 350 acres, is very large. Out of a total of 47,050 holdings, there are 22,895 between 100 and 350 acres, and only 5949 exceeding that area. This return is however shown to be incomplete by the “ Australian Year Book” of 1878,- which is compiled by the Government Statist, and from which it appears that there were 7,055,000 acres of land held under deferred payments in 1877-78, only 4,787,000 acres of which land is entered in the “Statistical Register 1 ’ as land in occupation in that year. We have compiled a table setting forth the area cultivated by each class of land owners, and it shows that the average area cultivated by holders of from 100 to 200 acres is 25 - 4 acres. Holders of from 200 to 350 acres cultivate an average area of 42 acres each; and holders of 350 to 500 acres cultivate on the average 71’3 acres each, Inasmuch as those areas include a considerable breadth of green forage, the average selector cannot have had much to live on during the year. It appears that about 40 per cent, of the cultivated land in Victoria is laid down in wheat; but

even though nearly the whole of the average area cultivated by free selectors, holding 300 acres of land each, were laid down in wheat, we fail to ace how the owners could make a living. In 18(8 the average yield of wheat in Victoria was only B‘7 bushels per acre ; the average price was 4s. 2d. The selector would therefore reap about 340 bushels off his forty-acre patch of cultivated lan which would only fetch about £ 1 when it reached tho market. Ho would still have to pay £3O a year of rent or progress payment ; in addition to this he would have to plough, fence, sow the land, reap the crop, and carry it to market for £1 an acre. We are quite prepared to admit that last year was an exceptional one; but even though the yield had been 12 or 13 bushels per acre, as in 1877 or 1878, we cannot seo how it is possible for the selectors to bo successful as a class. Many writers have already pointed out the political danger of setting up a largo class of debtors to the State, who are also allowed to exercise a vote, and who may at any moment be converted into either strong political friends or opponents by the Government allowing a relaxation, or insisting upon immediate payment of the rents or progress payments. How imminent this danger actually is in Victoria can only be gleaned by a careful study of tho Victorian statistics. Mr. Hatter admits that in 1877- out of 8,000,000 acres of selected land, 1,000,000 acres had been either forfeited or abandoned. Judging by the returns of the average produce, and the prices realised since then, the conviction is forced upon us that the area of forfeited land must, by sheer force of circumstances, have been .enormously increased during the past year. It is true that those who have a personal knowledge of Victoria can point to large districts which have been transformed into gardens of cultivated luxuriance by the free-seleotion system ; but a consideration of the official returns will convince the most sceptical that, as a whole, the system has not proved a success. The average area cultivated, and the smallness of the average yield per acre on selectors’ holdings, bear evidence of tho fact. We hope shortly to receive a copy of the “Victorian Year Book” for 1878- which will enable us to form a more reliable opinion upon the results of this great experiment of providing “ cheap land for the people.” It would certainly be a matter for congratulation if the gloomy aspect of the future before the free selector in Victoria, which is now presented to us, could be placed in a more favorable light by the aid of further and fuller information. We have no desire to question the fact that great strides have been made in the farming industry in Victoria. This may be judged by the fact that the improvement? on farms in 1878-79 were valued at £16,845,000 ; the agricultural machinery and implements were valued at£2,020,000, and no less than 1244 acres were ploughed by steam power, and 829,000 acres were reaped or mowed by machines.