LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEME.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2556, 17 July 1909, Page 6

LAND SETTLEMENT SCHEME.

■ - -■■■ ’ ■ ■■ - - ■ 1 SMALL HOLDINGS PROPOSED. Some interesting information concerning a proposal of the Government to provide small holdings for selection in. various parts of the country was given to a Christchurch “Press” reporter recently by the Hon. D. Buddo, Minister for Internal .Affairs, and ActingMinister for Lands. The Minister said that m view if Lie demand for small holdings, he Lad received. Cabinet authority to have 4 >0 sections prepared under Lie Improve© Farm Settlement regulations. These frovisions under the Land Act bad not een taken advantage of for some time, but in view of the necessity to provide land for retrenched Civil Servants, and to withdraw some of the surplus labor from the market, it had been decided to offer 400 sections under the Act. “The sections,” Mr Buddo continued, “will be from 100 to 200 acres each, according to quality. There will be no distinction made between retrenched Civil Servants and workers, or any others who -may apply for this improved farm settlement land. Tho Commissioners of Crown Lands will receive the applications, and the various Land Boards, as empowered by regulations, will select those applicants who are eligible, to ballot for a_ choice of sections. The principal point to be noted in connection with, the Improved Farm Settlement Act is that it provides that the Government may advance money for .improvements to enable the settiers to clear their lands and bring them into profitable occupation, and also to build their houses and fencing. Each class of land will be carefully scheduled, and/ the advances maoie m proportion to the work to be done. Open land will naturally be more easily brought into profitable occupation than light hush or scrub land, and the advance in that case will necessarily be less. Advances will be given sufficient to cover the cost of clearing fifty acres. Very stringent regulations will be issued in regard to compulsory residence ,and the transfer of sections, in order that only bona fide settlers should be encouraged. No rent will be required until after the first ‘burn.’ ” Mr Buddo went on to say that the Improved Farm Settlement Act applied only to unimproved Crown, lands, and : could not be made to apply to Land for Settlements land. There was no land available in Canterbury or Otago which would be utilised under the scheme, but there was a little in Southland. However, Wellington, Taranaki, and Auckland had the most available for the purpose. The land must be near a road or railway, in order to make the scheme successful, as small settlers, • with the limited capital at their disposal, could not take up backblocks holdings. They must have the opportunity to market their produce cheaply. The survey of the sections would be put in hand atonce.andit was hoped that they would he open for selection early in the sprung. 4‘ '