NEW ZEALAND CROWN LANDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1385, 19 May 1881, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND CROWN LANDS.

A handy book, printed in pamphlet form, has just been issued. It is published by authority of the Minister of Lands. Its avowed object is : "To afford such general information as to the character and localities of Crown lands, and the terms and conditions on which they may be obtained, as will enable those in quest of land to set about its selection without much trouble." Referring to the colony gcneially, we are told the total area is upwards of 64,000,000 acres. Of that 14,000,000 have been disposed of, 16,000,000 belong to the aborigines, or to Europeans who have purchased trom them, and 34,000,000 still remain for disposal. Of the latter, 15,000,000 are open grass or fern country, 10,000,000 forest, and 9,000,000 barren mountain tops, lakes, and worthless land.

Auckland Territorial Estate. In this provincial district rural land is sold by auction at an upset price fixed by the Land Board, and classified as first, second, and third class lands, the minimum price per acre being 15s, 103, and 5s respectively ; town and suburban at an upset price of £30 per acre for the former, and £3 the latter. There are none of either of these classes of land immediately open for sale, but in the towns of Te Awamntu, Cambridge East, Newcastle, Te Aroha, and their suburbs there are considerable areas which can be sold whenever application ia made. Neither is there any pastoral land available at present, but it may from time to time be acquired by public auction in such areas as may be fixed by the Board. The minimum price is 5s per acre, or it may be acquired by lease for a term of 21 years, no lease to exceed 10,000 acres ; minimum rental per acre as may in each instance be determined by the Board, j The right to cut and remove tiniber for building and other purposes is usually leased at a premium on forgifta _for any term not exceeding seven years. These lands are also occasionally sold by public auction as land of special value. The upset price is fixed in each instance by the Board,

Local Lands. Waipa County : 7,000 acres are in a position to be rendered available for sale on application at Land Office. It is mostly swamp, and of good quality ; the balance open gently-undulating fern hills, but not first-rate soil. j Waikato County, 105,000 acres.— Mostly open lands of second-class quality. A good deal of swamp and barren lands. Extensive coal fields at Maramarua aud Huntly ; at both of which places it is worked. Some, pood swamp lands still remain in the hands of the Crown ; generally isolated sections. Communication is eftsy-4as the, surface is generally ; , leyel— by *aij, road, and watep , (t ( t ' Kagimu UpyX'SX, JjSOjOOO acres.— i^oil generally of first-rate quality, but broken, . and covered with forest, excepting in the Parishes of Pirohgia and Karamu, where there are about 3,000 acres of .open undulating surveyed Jands of fair quality. ■ , The lands, to the, we^j; gf Pepepe m 9^ hetter" quality than usual, th.c a deep-black loam, with some liiiiestoiae. These lands are at present difficult of access from vyaut of roads. Coal is

known to exist in many places, together with an excellent freestone. Communication by h rail ' and water along the eastern side of county, with one road from Whatawhata to Raglan. Piako County, ' 80.000 acres.— At Te Aroha there are about 28,000 acres of good level open fern and swamp land, capable of being easily drained, and having water communication with Ghrahamstown by the Thames Rirer, and by good roads to Hamilton and Cambridge. Hangawera Block, soil indifferent, but contains timber which, from its general scarcity in this county, will be very valuable Mangakahika Block, good undulating open fern land, fronting on to the navigable part of the Piako River. The other Government lands are broken forest ranges.