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Taranaki. (J. Cook, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No new estates have been purchased this year, and the conelition of those already purchased remains practically unchanged. Piu Estate still remains unselected, and parts of Kohura and Tawhiwhi Estates are in the same position. Wellington. (T. Brook, Commisioner of Crown Lands.) There have; been no now settlements purchased during the year. The oleler settlements arc well developed, and continue in a satisfactory position. Several residential sections in the Wilford Settlement at Petone were offered by auction during the year anel met with, a ready sale. Nelson. (N. 0. Kensington, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No new settlements were opened up during the year. The Maruia, Matakitaki, and Tutaki Settlements have recently been revalued, and with good market prospects ahead it is expected when they are again opened for selection that there will be a good demand for this class of land. It is hoped to have them on the market before the spring. Marlborough. (J. Stevenson, Commissioner of Crown Lands). No new estates have been acquired this yt.ar. The older settlements are well established, and have generally benefited by the increaseel prices now ruling for primary products. The estates specially acquired and disposed of for soldier settlement are dealt with under that heading. Westland. (W. T. Morpeth, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) The only settlements in the, Westland District are Kokatahi and Poerua. Both these have been very successful. All the settlers are engaged in dairying. They are in a flourishing condition, most of them being now practically independent. Canterbury. (G. H. Bullard, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No estates were purchased under the Land for Settlements Act during the past year. Soldier settlements are dealt with in a separate report. The pastoral and pastoral-agricultural farmers have had a good year, but the same cannot be said of agricultural and dairy farms, excepting in localities where the rainfall is fair. As most of these lands command fairly large goodwills, tenants, excepting those who have paid largo goodwills, will pull through. There have not been many applications to purchase the freehold ; and in some cases of transfer of properties where values had been reduced the conceded rent was remitted on account of difficulties caused by the weedy state of the land. Otago. (R. S. Galbraith, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No fresh estates in this district were acquired under the Land for Settlements Act during the year. The: settlers on the settlements acquired in the earlier years of the enactment have done, and are continuing to do, well. Their holdings are now worth much more than the original capital values, and sales of the leases are effected at substantial goodwills. There have,-however, been fewer transfers during the year than is usually the case. A regrettable feature about land-settlement generally is that too many successful settlers sell out of their holdings, either to retire in the towns and cities or to acquire larger holdings at increased prices, and thus begin again the hard work and worry of trying to meet heavy financial obligations. It is remarkable that so few lessees take advantage of the provisions of section 25 of the Land Laws Amendment Act, 1920. Only two lessees—one on Tokarahi, the other on Windsor Park Settlement —acquired the fee-simple of their holdings during the year. The explanation, probably, is the widespread belief that a leasehold can be disposed of easier than a freehold. Perhaps it can. Certainly, less capital is required. The estates purchased since the war have not been so successful, if success is to be measured by the financial well-being of the tenants. It may be accepted' as a fact that there are now but few private properties in Otago of suitable size and quality of land that could be acquired by the Government at a price at which even practical, thrifty, hard-working settlers could hope to do well. Southland. (K. M. Graham, Commissioner of Crown Lands.) No estates were purchased under the Land for Settlements Act during the year under review, and there is nothing outstanding to report. Several selections are recorded in the Waikiwi Town Settlement, and as the demand justifies it more of the sections will be made available. There were no conversions to freeholds of settlement lands during the year, but tho holders of four deferred-payment licenses completed purchase. There was one exchange from deferred payment to renewable lease. Of the older settlements, Beaumont was always considered a doubtful success, and time has proved that several lessees failed to recover from the slump years and the consequent tightening-up of control of financial assistance by mercantile firms. We now have four of these sections on our hands. The question of grouping these holdings anel eif possible reductions in rentals is being looked into. Several sections on Morrivale No. 1 and Morrivale No. 2 wore revalued during the year, and. it is hoped that by the help thus affordoel the settlers will eventually suoeeeel.
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