LAND SETTLEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 88, 30 August 1912, Page 3

LAND SETTLEMENT.

AXMJAL, PF.PORT OF DEPARTMENT. •SCARCITY OF LABOR. The report of the Land for Settlements Department for the year ended March 31 last shows that the number of properties considered during the year was ltlS), containing 313,452 acres. Canterbury furnished the' largest number, mostly" agricultural farms of 1000 to 2000 acres in extent. 'The invariable reason given by the owners for seeking to dispose of their properties,"' says the report, "is the everincreasing dilliculty of obtaining adequate labor. While there is a paucity of applicant 1 * for agricultural lands, the reverse is the case for grazing. As an instance, for the Four Peaks Settlement, of an area of 12.092 acres, subdivided into sections, th-re were 393 applicants, while for the Timaunga Settlement, of 51)57 acres, mostly agricultural land of good quality, there were only thirty. Both are in South Canterbury, and were ottered on the same day. "The area purchased and taken possession of during the year is 44,447 acres freehold, together with the goodwill of 55.300 acres of Crown leaseholds. In addition, u'nc properties, containing 10,(ii)o acres, have been purchased, and are now being surveyed. These, were all secured at reasonable prices, considering the high values placed upon the bulk of the hinds oli'ered and the prices ruling generally. 'Die actual expenditure, was JC381.4H3. making a total jip to March 31 of .i:5.!'!5.()7l for 1,290.0-12 acres. "The '■-.irdening of the money market will uiMiiiibtcdly have a steadying effect upon the undue inflation of values, and will in all probability considerably curtain lin l op. rations of speculators." IJnd-r the Land Settlement Finance Act the total number of associations incorporated up to March 31 is twentyfour, wiih an area of 23.GP6 acres, valued at £270.105. and a membership of 152. Beside- the associations already incorporated, seven others have been approved, while several more are under consideration. "The preliminary requirements of the jict," concludes the report, "are still a source of nnnoyanee and delay, and, should an opportunity occur, several very nccesaary amendments will be suggested. The general opinion is that the principle of the Act is a good ;;rie. but that the mai hinery is defective. ] n an y case, the results so far quite justify the cxperbr.-.it."