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1907. NEW ZEALAND.

"THE LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS CONSOLIDATION ACT, 1900" (REPORT ON).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly in compliance with Subsection (2), Section 73 of " The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act. 1900." '

The Land Purchase Inspector to the Hon. the Minister op Lands. Land for Settlements Department, Wellington BIR — 23rd May, 1907. I have the honour to submit a report on the operations under the Land for Settlements Consolidation Act of 1900 for the year which ended on the 31st March, 1907. During last year 222 estates (1,424,405 acres) were offered to the Government, fifty-eight properties were inspected on the ground (497,000 acres), and the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners recommended the Government to purchase fifty-two, of an area of 438,142 acre,s. Including estates agreed to be purchased the previous year, but not paid for till this the transactions completed during the year amount to eight estates, of 9,644 acres, for which £117,328 was paid and £70,950 was expended on roads, workers' dwellings, and other contingencies. There were also ten estates, containing 63,080 acres, purchased for £357.181, which however are to be paid for and opened for selection in the year 1907-8. Rents, interest, and other revenue received during the year amount to £227,548 19s 2d The interest paid for the money obtained to make the purchases is £188,012 135., giving a profit for the year of £39,536 6s. 2d. The gain to the whole account since 1894 is £277,188 (including £5 953 6s 4d recovered from the sale of reserves, &c), and of this £50,165 has been paid to the Public Trustee as a sinking fund. The Board of Land Purchase Commissioners held thirty-two meetings, at which sixty-two estates of 483,963 acres, were investigated, thirteen being situated in the Auckland District, nineteen in Hawke's Bay, nine in Wellington, two in Nelson, sixteen in Otago, and three in Southland. The total area acquired under the Acts to the 31st March, 1907, is 995,267 acres, and of this 860 502 acres have been offered for public selection, and 852,647 acres have been taken up and are now occupied by 3,869 tenants. For workers' dwellings, out of this area and cost 946 acres have been purchased, making with 10 acres of Crown land at Sydenham, a total of 956 acres, the prime cost being £123,434. The formation of streets and erection of buildings cost £33,976 additional. Upon this land seventy-one dwellings have been built, and fifty-two are occupied. The house-rents received during the year amount to £290, and the rents received fiom temporary grazing licenses over the remainder of the land not at present required as sites for dwellings is for the year £801. Of the 852,647 acres selected, 260,463 acres "are in new grass, 63,511 in white crops, 39 635 in green crops, and 489,018 in native grass, bush, orchards, &c. The total number of sheep depastured is 696,485, cattle 52,530, horses 12,250, and pigs 8,427. P

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