DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY: VILLAGE-HOMESTEAD SETTLEMENTS (REPORT ON).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1898 Session I, C-08

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1898. NEW ZEALAND.

DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND SURVEY: VILLAGE-HOMESTEAD SETTLEMENTS (REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

These settlements now number 165. The original selectors number 2,284, and of these 1,185 remain in occupation. Some of the original selectors have taken up land on other conditions, and cease to be village settlers. The number who have taken up land during the past year is 101, the area taken up being 1,485 acres 3 roods 20 perches, an average to each selector of 14 acres 2 roods 33 perches, and the average rental is 2s. 4Jd. per acre. The forfeitures and surrenders number 62, with an area of 1,216 acres. The rent and interest of the forfeited sections was £158. The number of present settlers is 1,567, and of these 1,097 are residing on their sections. The total area held is 35,454 acres, an average to each settler of 22-J acres ; the average rent, including interest on advances, is 2s. 9d. per acre. The capital value of the land is £97,646, and the yearly rent, including interest, £4,904. The actual sum received for rent and interest during the year ending the 31st March last was £4,877 14s. Id., equivalent to nearly 5 per cent, on the capital value of the land. The total payments made by village settlers from the commencement of the system to the 31st March last was £31,873 ss. sd.—namely, rent, £24,961 165., and. interest, £6,911 9s. sd. The total amount advanced for cottages, bushfelling, and grassing has been £25,932, and of this £2,462 has been repaid, leaving £23,470 outstanding. The settlers in arrear number 265, and the rent and interest due by them is £2,045. The arrears are chiefly in the Auckland District, where the number in arrear is 146, and the amount owing £1,751. I fear many of the settlements in this district are not likely to prove successful, as they were formed on wrong lines, several being on poor soil in isolated localities, where there is very little outside employment, and, as only a small area is allotted to each villager, it follows that he is heavily handicapped, and finds himself unable to keep up his payments. I propose at an early date making full inquiries into the position of the settlers who are owing the above amount, with the view of seeing what is best to be done, and making recommendations accordingly. It is satisfactory to note that wherever village settlements have been formed in suitable localities, and on fair to good soil, they are an undoubted success; the figures in this report clearly prove it. At Cheviot the village settlers number seventy-nine, and with their wives and families 284 souls. The area they hold is 2,480 acres, an average of 31J acres to each settler. The capital value of the land is £17,455, and the annual rent and interest £874, being an average of 7s. per acre. The amount paid for rent and interest during the year was £885, or slightly over 5 per cent, on capital. The total payments for rent and interest amount to £3,500. The arrears are £37, and the value of improvements £5,643, which is equivalent to £2 ss. 6d. per acre, or £71 Bs. 6d. for each holding. The total number of souls on village-homestead settlements throughout the colony is 4,894, and the improvements made by the settlers are valued at £115,834, or equivalent to an average improvement of £3 ss. 4d. per acre, or £73 18s. to each holding. The position of these settlements on the 31st March last was therefore briefly as follows : — Number of settlements ... ... ... ... 165 Number of settlers ... ... ... ... ... 1,567 Number of souls on the land .. ... ... ... 4,894 Area held (acres) ... ... ... ... ... 35,454 Capital value of land ... ... ... ... ... £97,646 Amount advanced for cottages, &c. ... ... ... £25,932 Amount repaid ... ... ... ... ... £2,462 Present annual rent and interest. ... ... ... £4,904 Eent and interest paid during year ... ... ... £4,877 Total payments made for rent and interest ... ... ... £31,873 Arrears of rent and interest ... ... ... ... £2,045 Value of improvements on the land ... ... ... £115,834 In Wellington and Hawke's Bay Districts a few of the village settlers suffered great loss through the disastrous bush-fires which occurred in the early part of the year; and in the Middle Island the settlers suffered greatly on account of the exceptionally dry weather. Generally speaking, however, their engagements have been well met, and, with the exception of the District of Auckland, the arrears are not heavy, and are less than last year. J. E. Mabch, Superintendent of Village Settlements.

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SUMMARY OF VILLAGE HOMESTEAD SETTLEMENTS.

Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,625 copies), £2 15s. 6d.

By Authority: John Mackat, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9B. Price 3d.]

Number of Present Settlers. Total Acreage. Taken up dm •ing the Yeai Name of Settlement. Number of Original Settlers. Original Settlers now remaining. Besident. E N- nt Originally Now taken up. remaining. No. Area allotted. Laid down in pasture oi cultivated. Average Area to each Settler. Average Rental per Acre. Acres. 21,229 454 8,966 106 342 15,023 5,968 4,716 Acres. 8,911 412 6,376 100 234 11,727 4,002 3,692 Acres. 3,608 279 4,161 88 170 7,731 1,828 1,454 A. B. P. A. E. P. £ a. d. Auckland Hawke's Bay Wellington .. Nelson Marlborough Canterbury .. Otago Southland .. 461 77 536 21 22 472 371 324 154 43 240 9 9 257 228 245 156 52 295 9 10 285 169 121 57 22 77* 11 4 64 85 124 5 26 74' 3 18 471 2 17 14 3 35 18 0 22 0 3 0 0 2 1 8 30 32 39 2 29 537 1 1 362 1 35 4 3 33 17 3 25 11 1 12 0 11 4 0 2 1 0 2 0 Totals 2,284 1,185 1,097 444* 56,804 35,454 19,319 101 1,485 3 20 14 2 33 0 2 4£ Excl inges to L From Villai ?ecial-sett. lease ii ge-hon lement i Pc test To srpetuity ead nure. "orfeitures during -ii d the lurrende] fear. ital Area held list March, II 898. Name of Settlement. fearlyRental, Capital including Value Interest on of Advances. Land. No. Area. Present Annual Rent. No. Area. Rental, including Interest. No. Area. Auckland Hawke's Bay.. Wellington .. Nelson Marlborough .. Canterbury .. Otago Southland 7 9 A. B. P. 3(18 3 38 125 3 34 £ s. a. 20 7 2 14 10 10 5 2 23 1 A. E. P. 213 3 24 6 2 34 270 1 25 5 3 25 £ s. a. 9 18 9 3 3 10 39 7 11 18 0 213 74 398 20 14 349 254 245 A. E. P. 8,910 2 24 411 1 38 6,375 2 28 100 3 37 234 0 24 11,726 3 18 4,001 1 19 3,693 0 35 £ s. a. 659 11 5 136 7 6 883 7 5 17 18 0 22 13 6 2,086 13 4 658 11 8 439 6 2 £ 7,402 2,492 20,672 1,279 266 42,151 14,238 9,146 4 1 155 0 0 21 3 28 11 18 0 0 17 8 7 17 7 232 0 0 318 2 27 169 2 19 34 19 8 51 18 i 17 10 4 Totals l,567t 35,454 1 23 4,904 9 0 21 651 3 20 47 13 8 62 1,216 0 34 158 6 10 97,646 tount di advanced iring the "5 Settlers IX. >tal Amoi and int advai Current iced to S< transact] jttlers, ions. 'ast Payments tade by Settli the Year. srs di iring Name of Settlement. 'or uses. For Busnfelling Grassing, &c. Total Advances. For (uses. F< Bushfi Grassi] )r slling, ig, &c. Ad' 'otal 'ances. Rent. Interest. Total. Hoi lUcklana lawke's Bay Wellington Telsoxi larl borough 'anterbury Hago .. iouthlana £ s. a. £ s. d. £ s. a. £ s. a. 5,644 8 1 580 0 0 2,944 0 0 70 0 0 85 0 0 2,590 0 0 1,100 5 0 756 0 0 £ s. a. 7,385 12 6 296 15 9 3,670 19 11 £ s. a. 13,030 0 7 876 15 9 6,614 19 11 70 0 0 103 15 0 2,590 0 0 1,541 5 0 1,106 2 2 £ s. d. 186 13 7 86 5 4 1,029 11 5 30 13 9 20 5 9 1,898 11 11 581 6 9 341 17 4 £ s. d. 129 8 2 26 18 4 311 2 4 0 10 0 4 19 0 109 0 0 68 1 2 52 9 3 £ s. d. 316 1 9 113 3 8 1,340 13 9 31 3 9 25 4 9 2,007 11 11 649 7 11 394 6 7 54 0 0 54 '6 0 1815 0 441 0 0 350 2 2 Totals .. 54 0 0 4,877 14 1 54 0 0 13,769 13 1 12,163 5 4 25,932 18 5 4,175 5 10 702 8 3 4,87 Name of Settlement. Total 'ayments mi lommencemi Lde by Settle] snt of Systen •s from L. sttlers in Arrear >n 31st March, 1891 03 U a o CD 0 I a> 1" O a r fii Kent. Intel rest. Total. No. Are! Kent. Interest. Total. Aucklana Hawke's Bay Wellington .. Nelson Marlborough Canterbury .. Otago Southland .. £ s. a. 3,023 2 11 577 5 11 5,279 10 0 83 1 3 199 3 3 11,359 19 3 2,519 0 10 1,920 12 7 £ s. d. 1,884 17 9 400 4 10 2,420 12 9 3 10 0 46 9 4 1,112 10 0 572 18 9 470 6 0 £ s. d. 4,908 0 8 977 10 9 7,700 2 9 86 11 3 245 12 7 12,472 9 3 3,091 19 7 2,390 18 7 146 4 48 4 A. B. P. 6,066 2 35 9 2 24 737 0 26 22 3 4 403 3 33 354 0 25 478 3 10 £ s. a. 670 3 8 2 8 11 61 16 10 s s. a. 1,081 4 0 3 7 4 44 14 1 7 5 0 £ s, d. 1,751 7 8 5 16 3 106 10 11 7 5 0 £ 245 329 1,431 10 15 370 25 37 £ 16,976 7,158 36,850 1,279 1,224 26,115 11,302 14,930 831 161 1,421 74 53 1,222 624 508 14 19 30 58 1 1 66 10 7 35 2 6 2 0 0 7 11 0 5 2 0 60 1 1 74 1 7 40 4 6 Totals .. 24,961 16 0 6,911 9 5 31,873 5 5 265 8,073 0 37 894 3 7 1,151 3 5 2,045 7 0 2,462 115,834 4,894 * Twenty-six sections not yet reported on. t Includes village-settlement land under lease in perpetuity, lands for settlement, and endowment lands.