VILLAGE SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1546, 29 January 1887, Page 3

VILLAGE SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

; Mr J. E. March the: To wn Board Office, Geraldine; on Thursday evening last to explain to. those' persons desirous of taking up land ’ under the Village Special Settlement conditions the regulations under which the land may be taken up. The attendance was Fair, Mr March exhibited a plan of the Hinds Special Settlement which be stated would be in the market is the course of a day or two. A map of the township of Geraldine' with the sections open for selection there was also shown. ■ Altogether 10 sections are open for selection in Geraldine, the area ranging from one to two and a-quarter acres, with an annual rental of about £1 per acre. Before going into the Geraldine sections Mr March said he proposed explaining to those present Wliat had been done in the way of Special Settlement. There were some 10 places distributed over the i whole of Canterbury open for Village Settlement, .with a total number of 118 sections, of which 92 had already been taken up, leaving 26 to be still settled. He also stated that a very large number of sections would be opened next month. Mr March gave the number of sections that would be opened at various places Under the Village Settlement regulations, the total being 263. It was satisfactory to know l that the people who bad gone on to the sections were doing very well. It had been his duty lately to go *nd inspect several cottages that h»d been erected bn these sections, because persons taking them up must be resident on them within six months. In order to accomplish that the Government were prepared to lend £2O to any selector applying for it. The money was not paid till the cottage was erected, and when the settler' applies for the money he (Mr March) bad to go and see if the value of £2O was upon the land, as the Government would not advance the money' till its value was there, in the event of a person being a danger in a place, and not able to get sufficient credit to bu'ld his house, a builder has only to go to him (Mr March) and find out if the settler is able to obtain the land or not. If he can: get it the builder can make his arrangements and erect the cottage. When the cottage ’ is finished be (Mr March) always pays the £2O to the sett'er in the builder’s presence, and in all cases be had seen the money banded oyer again to the builder, with an additional sum, in pay. moot of his work. The Government charge 6 per cent upon the loan of £2O. Mr March then dealt with the land at Orari, Here: .there were five sections .open, varying in area from la 2r 25p to 13a 1r l9p, valued at various, prices ranging from £8 to £3 per acre, capital value. He strongly advised any, person thinking of applying for a section to go andinspept the land before making his application. The! land at Orapi would be taken up under a different,, system. It would be ssbject ;to valuation for the fencing now upon the land, . The annual rental was fixed, and any person applying must accompany that application with the first ' six months’ rent and a fee of £l.los, If more than one application wore received fop -the same section they would be decided by lot, -With regard to the Yillage SetllecdUt regulations, Mr March said they had been framed for the purpose of promoting settlement among; the working classes. The Government were not looking. to make money out of them, buj; to encourage settlement. The rentals were as low as it was consistent to make them. The only charge was for the registration of (be deed, JOs, and tbat was all the settlor bad to pay fop the first six months. These applications, like those under the perpetual leasing system, would be decided by lot in the event of more than one application for the same piece on the same day, married men to have the preference. Mr C. E. Sherruti asked Mr March to explain bow the Government would proceed at the expiration of the first thirty years with regard to the valuation and releasing of the holdings, Mr March turned up' the Act, which made provision for a valuation qf (he ppoperty three before (he pad. of tfi'e term. Af(er making this the lessee shall say whether he wilt accept a fresh lease

at a rental of 6 per cent on v tho value of the land, - . . Spe king of .the sections at Geraldine, which are laid out immediately behind the Domain, ;Mr March stated that they had been grouped together iu order that an area of not less than ooe acre might: be allotted. The rental of sections No 184, 185, and 186, containing la Or 30p, would be £1 4s per annum or 12s every six months, and should a selector wish to borrows sum of £2O, a further sum of 10s each month till it was returned. The only fee necessary to pay was a sura of 10a for the registration of the lease. The settler must be living upon his section within the first six months, otherwise it would be forfeited. On bush land the Government would allow the settler £SO to clear the bush and sow it with grass, but the settler must begin to clear immediately. No person having any interest whatever in any land in the colony of more than one acre in extent. can take up a Village Settlement allotment, and a declaratien must be taken before a Magistrate or a Justice of the Peace that the applicant has no such interest. Mr March stated that if a selector did not borrow the £2O from the Government be could erect any description of building be liked, but if he borrowed the £2O the Government satisfied themselves the value of the money was there before it was advanced. Ha also stated that in the event of the parties at present holding the lease of the land at Orari not being the successful applicants; the settlers obtaining it would have to pay cash for the fencing now upon the laud/ He also pointed out that a person could apply for four sections, so that in the event of bis not being able to dbtaurone section he would have a chance of obtaining others. Mr March concluded by stating tbat the Orari sections would be open for application ; on Thursday next, ;February 3rd, and those at Geraldine on Wednesday, February 2nd, on which days he would be at the places named to give any information required, and to receive applications. Several questions , having been asked and replied to, the meeting terminated.