C.—s

1908. 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 Purohask Inspector to the Hon. the Minister of Lands. Sir, — Land for Settlements Department. 14th July, 1908. I have the honour to report on the operations under " The Land for Settlements Consolidation Act, 1900," for the year which ended on the 31st March, 1908. During the year 129 estates (1,033,300 acres) were offered to the Government, forty-eight properties were inspected on the ground (353,000 acres), and the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners recommended the Government to purchase thirty-five, of an area of 294,521 acres. Including estates agreed to be purchased the previous year, but not paid for till this year, the transactions completed amount to sixteen estates, of 126,867 acres, for which £565,727 17s. lid. was paid, and £47,967 6s. Id. was expended on roads, workers' dwellings, and other contingencies. There were also seven estates, containing 74,043 acres, purchased for £334,597, which are to be paid for and opened for selection in the year 1908-9. Rents, interest, and other revenue received during the year amount to £249,273 6s. 9d. The interest paid for the money obtained to make the purchases is £209.060 19s. 9d., giving a balance for the year of £40,212 7s. The credit balance in the account is now £317,400 (including £6,335 Bs. recovered from the sale of reserves. &c.); and of this, £104,630 has been paid to the Public Trustee as a sinking fund. The total area of land acquired and paid for to the 31st March, 1908, is 1,122,135 acres, for which £4,807,369 was paid ; and £409,885 has been spent on roads and in preparation for settlement. The capital value of the estates acquired is thus £5,217,254. The area of land selected this year is 114,150 acres, by 420 tenants, and of this 92,985 acres were opened for selection for the first time during the year. The total area leased to the 31st March, 1908, to 4,292 tenants, is 979,094 acres. Of this, 679,410 acres are held under leases in perpetuity, 67,107 acres under renewable lease, and 232,577 under small-grazing-run leases and miscellaneous tenures. The area opened and unlet at the 31st March is 115,184 acres, estimated to be worth a rental of £6,669, and there were 37,041 acres purchased and paid for but not ready for occupation, Of the area selected, 308,507 acres are now in new grass, 68,975 in white crops, 48,621 in green crops, and 552,977 in native grass, bush, orchards, &c. The total number of sheep depastured is 854,472, cattle 58,167, horses 12,456, and pigs 8,160. The number of tenants of workers' dwellings is now eighty-four, and the united holdings amount to 14 acres and 17 perches, which gives an average for each house of 27 perches. The assessed rent is £2,250 9s. 4d. per annum, about £27 a year each. Only one property (of 3f acres, in Canterbury) was purchased for workers' dwellings during the year. There are at present 756 acres of land acquired for this purpose still available for the erection of houses. Of this, 532 acres are in Wellington, 213 acres in Auckland, 3 acres in Canterbury, and 8 acres in Otago. The formation of streets and the erection of twelve new buildings cost £2,487 Is. Bd. The house-rents received come to £2,228 14s. During the past year the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners held twenty-three meetings, at which sixty-two estates were investigated, twenty being situated in the Auckland District, twelve in Wellington, one in Marlborough, two in Nelson, eight in Canterbury, ten in Otago, and one in Southland.

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