THE CROWN LANDS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4788, 1 August 1894, Page 3

THE CROWN LANDS.

I In the Crown Lauds report, submitted to Parliament yesterday, the department reports that the selections undor tho lease in perpetuity system wero much more numerous last year than any other, for tho reason that the special settlement associations, village settlements and village homestead special settlements, are permitted only on this tenure. Tho total number of selections of land under all systems for purposes of occupation wns 2281, a decrease of 161 as compared with tho figures for last year, This decrease is attributed largely to tho fact that the area of Crown lands to select from has become very much less. In many districts the want of available lands is felt very severely, and is retarding settlement to a cou siderablo extent.

Tho mean prices at which lands bavo kon disposed of last year wero: —For cash, 13s per acre; for occupation with right of purchase, 14s 9d per aero; for lease in perpetuity, 17s 6d. These figures do not differ materially from those of theprevious year. Tho progress of tho village homestead selectors must, in tho words of tho report bo considered satisfactory, Tho report also contains interesting particulars of the growth of special settlement associations and village homestead selection and ' other schemes, The arrears of rent duo to the Crown show a decrease in the numborof selectors who are behindhand} but in'the total inototowiDgr ;'•''',•;•'• ■'•'•