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APPENDIX No. 6. VILLAGE-HOMESTEAD SETTLEMENTS. The following are details of village-homestead settlements in each of the provincial districts of the colony on the 31st March, 1897. The position of the settlements at that date was as under : — Number of settlements in the colony— In the North Island ... ... ... ... 51 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 107 158 Number of original settlers ... ... ... ... ... 2,205 Original settlers now remaining ... ... ... ... ... 1,202 Number of present settlers— Resident ... ... ... ... ... ... 1,046 Non-resident ... ... ... ... ... 488 Not reported on ... ... ... ... ... 9 1,543 Number settled on the land, including wives and families— In the North Island ... ... ... ... 2,338 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 2,335 4,673 The total acreage originally taken up was— Acres. Acres. In the North Island " ... ... ... ... 30,219 In the Middle Island ... ... .. ... 25,230 55,449 (The area in the North Island includes Auckland and Parnell endowments, now transferred to the city and borough respectively.) The total area now held is— Acres. Acres. In the North Island ... ... ... ... 15,719 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 19,528 35,247 Average area to each settler ... ... ... ... ... 22f Total area laid down in pasture or cultivated— In the North Island ... ... ... ... 7,917 In the Middle Island ... .., ... ... 10,348 18,265 The total amount advanced from the commencement of the £ £ system to the 31st March last was ... ... ... 25,849 Advances repaid, 1896 ... ... ... ... 565 1897 ... ... ... ... ... 1,346 1,911 Remaining unpaid— In the North Island ... ... ... ... 18,872 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 5,066 23,938 Value of land disposed of and now held by settlers ... ... 83,522 Total ... ... ... ... £107,460 The total annual rent, including interest on advances was— £ £ In the North Island ... ... ... ... 1,685 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 3,219 4,904 Equivalent to a rental of 2s. 9d., per acre, and equal to 4-J- per cent, on capital. The amount received for rent and interest for the year ending 31st March last was— £ £ In the North Island ... ... ... ... 1,880 In the Middle Island ... ... ... ... 3,025 4,905 Equal to 4-J per cent, on capital. The total amount received for rent and interest from the commencement of the system to the 31st March last was £27,014, classified as under :— £ £ North Island—Rent, £7,596; interest, £4,238 ... ... 11,834 Middle Island—Rent, £13,210; interest, £1,970 ... ... 15,180 27,014