LAND SETTLEMENT.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 27, 17 September 1920, Page 3

LAND SETTLEMENT.

past year's operations. areas for soldiers.

QUESTION OF AGGREGATTON.

The annual report on the operations under the Lauds for Settlement Act, 1908, states that the number of estates offered duririg the year was less than that forthe previous year, being 461 of an ifrea of 619,680 acres. The tohole was considered fqr soldiers' settlements. The area purchased and completed was 176,835 acres, valued at £1,929,435. There was also purchased for soldiers 25,235 acres, valued at £583,281, for hallot, and 16,814 acres, valued at £403,466, for individual i soldiers. This is a large increase on previous years. The Flill Springs estate, adjoining Teviot,, of 9820 acres, with 28,600 acres of Crown leasehold giveu in, should be ready for selectiori next February. As in the case of Teviot, the stock was purchased and will be available for soldiers later on. The same course was followed in the case of Waitohi Peaks, and the owner, Mr George Rutherford^ has rendered ihe dgpartment generous assistance in dealing with the stock since the purcliase. The soldiers on these blocks will i>e able to start with established flocks used to the country. The general demand for land, especially i for dairying and grazing, is extremely keen, and prices are being paid for properties far beyond what the members of the boards feel they can safely recomrnend. A large number of the plac.es offere.A present insuperable difficultiee m the way of roading and subdividing into reasonable areas, and the want of suitable homestead sites. The lot of a -new settler is fa* from a happy one, the cost of all farm requirements being practically prohibitive, and many are unprocurable. Several ca&es of alleged aggregation have been inquired into, and so far in nearly every insta-nce a satisfactory explanation has been forthcoming. The mode of procedure do,es not render the detection of aggregation an easy iiiatter. Something more is still required.