LAND SETTLEMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9619, 12 October 1909, Page 7

LAND SETTLEMENT.

INTERESTING FIGURES. The report of the Lands Pepartmerit shows that the output of Grown lands for the past year comprised 2,654,086 acres. Of 393.846 acres of ordinary Crown lands opened under the renewable tenure 306,113 acres were national endowment lands, while 83,000 acres were opened under renewable lease, becauae they were within proclaimed mining districts, and the respective wardens would not agree to their being opened under the optional system. Tne number of selectors who took up land during the year was 2,G03, an increase of 378 on the previous year, and the area selected 916,521 acres. The selectors who paid cash num ■ bered 350, and the total area concerned was 42,129 acres. Of this area 7,672 acres are held under conditional purchase tenure, _ the condition being that improve- \ ments must bo completed within seven years; in the area of 42,129 acres is also included a area of 31,800 acres of Crown lands, which was transferred to the Otekaike Estate, and was dealt with as part of that lands settlement conditions. Occupation with right of purchase selectors numbered 382, and the area selected 123,116 acres. Lands for settlement selectors num bered 288, and the area concerned was 95,698 acres. There are now 595 selectors holding 73,126 acres of improved farm settlements under the Lands Improvement and Native Lands Acquisition Act. Theae settlers have received advances a mounting to £64,299, but their im • provements are valued at £186,897.