C—l.
Crown Lands opened for Selection. The area opened for selection during the year aggregated under all tenures 337,503 acres. The table following shows the areas opened under each system for the several land districts. It will be gathered from the table that 114,124 acres were opened on the optional system, 166,945 on renewable lease, 43,604 as small grazing-runs, and only 9,345 as pastoral runs. The area opened this year shows a falling-off from last year's total, but this is accounted for to a large extent by the withdrawal of pastoral runs totalling 217,743 acres, the disposal of which is being held over pending proposed legislation with a view to improving the tenure. Ho far as settlement lands are concerned, this falling-off occurred during the first nine months of the year, as for that period the area offered was 107,992 acres, whilst the figures for the last quarter alone were 218,184 acres. This increase in the area opened during the last three months of the year was mainly due to extra assistance having been provided for the necessary survey work, and to the carrying-out of your instructions in July last that lands suitable for settlement should be surveyed and made available as early as possible. The future demand for land cannot be adequately met from the areas ai present belonging to the State. From the tables published it will be observed that there are only some 4,500,000 acres remaining for subdivision and settlement. When, however, it is realized that the firstclass land in this 4,500,000 acres is not more than 100,000 acres it will easily be understood that little provision can be made out of this area for the small settler or the settler who desires a small holding. During past years the better-class lands have been dealt with by the Department, and we have now reached the stage when only the small quantity of good land referred to above remains. Of course, the second- and lower-grade lands will be treated and opened in suitable holdings according to the nature of the country, but it should be understood that the expense of providing access will be greater in proportion than hitherto owing to the rougher character of the lands. Naturally, therefore, future annual reports will give figures showing a diminishing acreage of settlement lands taken from the ordinary Crown lands of the Dominion.
Table A. —Land opened during the Year ended 31st March, 1913.
Lands selected during the Year. The Crown lands selected during the year under all tenures totalled 968,925 acres by 2,159 selectors. The principal selections were under the occupation-with-right-of-purchase and renewable-lease tenures. As an indication of the popularity of the former tenure it might be mentioned that out of an area of 114,834 acres disposed of in 391 holdings under the optional system, 336 holdings, aggregating 102,217 acres, were taken up under the occupation-with-right-of-purchase tenure. Of the selections under renewable lease the 301 holdings under the Land for Settlements Act, aggregating 130,961 acres, were the most important. These for the most part comprise the nineteen new settlements disposed of during the year and referred to in the paragraph under the heading of " Lands purchased and dealt with under the Land for Settlements Act."
IV
Renewabl le Lease. Small Grazingruns. Pastoral Runs. Optional System. Ordinary »*££" C ™7 men! Land - Land. Cash by Auction. Lease by Auction and Application. Village Allotments. Ordinary 1 ' Crown ™*?yLand. To fell. District. Cheviot Estate. Land for Settlements. Ordinary Crown Land. endowment Land. iuokland .. lawke's Bay ?aranaki Vellington .. , elson larlborough Vestland .. Janterbury .. )tago louthland .. Acres. 41,943 13,034 22,325 8,542 1,214 10,131 Acres. 2,179 Acres. 16,759 Acres. Acres. 422 26,481 Acres. 672* 211 152 19 Acres. 1,057 451 Acres. Acres. 4,272 Acres. 6,290 Acres. 710-j-Acres. Acres. 74,304 40,177 24,018 9,979 3,341 11,736 5,360 117,058 27,647 23,883 4 1,602 1,541 981 516 239 '85 109 9 3,282 "l5 20 63 94 132 343 'i l',590 1JU 634 96,196 4,077 3,369 13,i20 11,622 445 6,600 1,787 15,148 1,602 5,188 'uA 46 2i 8,300 Totals .. 114,124 12,289 23,223 634 130,799 1,363 1,982 140 12,572 31,032 2,745 6,600 337,503 * Includes IS acres land for settlements. X Hauraki pastoral leases.
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