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APPENDIX, NO. 6

EEPOET UPON VILLAGE-HOMESTEAD SETTLEMENTS FOE THE YEAE ENDED 31st MAECH, 1895. The following returns give full details of village-homestead settlements in each of the provincial districts of the colony for the year ended 31st March, 1895 :— During the past year twenty-four new settlements have been formed, seven in the North Island, and seventeen in the Middle Island. Two hundred and ninety-five new selectors have taken up sections of land, representing in the aggregate 7,616 acres, —an average of 25f acres to each settler. The position of the settlements on the 31st March last was as follows : — Number of settlements in the colony ... ... ... ... 144 In the North Island ... ... ... ... ... 43 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... ... 101 144 Number of original settlers ... ... ... ... ... 1,814 Original settlers now remaining ... ... ... ... ... 1,150 Number of present settlers ... ... ... ... ... 1,395 Eesident ... ... ... ... ... ... 939 Non-resident ... ... ... ... ... 401 Not reported on ... ... ... ... ... 55 • ' • 1,395 In the North Island ... ... ... ... ... 580 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... ... 815 1,395 The number now settled on the land under the village-homestead settlement system, including wives and families, is 4,561, namely : — In the North Island ... ... ... ... ...2,556 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... ...2,005 4,561 There is still a large' number not residing on their sections; it is partly due to the fact that many of them are sadly in want of means to build on their holdings before they can settle there with their wives and families; the others are new selectors, and the time allowed for residing has not yet expired. Acres. The total acreage originally taken up was ... ... ... 48,156 In the North Island ... ... ... ... 26,959 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 21,197 48,156 The total acreage now held is ... ... ... ... ... 33,804 In the North Island ... ... ... ... 15.520 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 18,284 33,804 Average area to each settler ... ... ... ... ... 24 Total area laid down in pasture, or cultivated ... ... ... 13,067 In the North Island ... ... ... ... 5,705 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 7,362 13,067 The amount advanced this year for dwelling-houses, bush-felling, and £ s. d. grassing was... ... ... ... ... ... 460 12 6 £ s. a. In the North Island ... ... ... 410 12 6 In the Middle Island ... ... ... 50 0 0 460 12 6 The total amount advanced from the commencement of the system to the 31st March last is as under :— £ s. d. £ s. d. North Island —For dwelling-houses ... ... 9,104 8 1 Bushfelling, &c. ... ... 11,353 8 2 20,457 16 3 Middle Island—For dwelling-houses ... .. 4,511 0 0 Bushfelling, &c. ... ... ... ... 810 2 2 5,321 2 2 Total advanced ... ... ... ... £25,778 18 5 Equivalent to an advance of 15s. 3d. per acre.