PRODUCTION AND INDUSTRY

811

either above or below that amount. A deposit of 10 per cent, is required, and the balance is payable in regular instalments after the third year, and may extend over a period exceeding 30 years, interest being charged at the rate of 2| per cent, on the outstanding balance only. The selector must reside on his holding for the first 10 years, and certain improvements must be carried out. Rouiesfxad Selection: —This tenure is practically a perpetual lease, and otfers special advantages to the man Avith small means, as the land may be held for the first six years at the low rental of 1| per cent, of its capital value. After issue of the Crown grant, or after expiration of first six years if the grant be not previously issued, the annual rental is 2^ per cent, of the capital value of the land. Settlement Lease : — This has a term of 40 years and the lessee must reside on the land during its currency. After the first five years a Homestead Grant of 1,280 acres may be obtained of that part of the lease on which the dwelling-house is situated. Conditional Purchase Lease: — This tenure is especially attractive to the land seeker with small capital. The lease has a term of 40 years — rental 2^ per cent, of the capital value — but may be converted at any time into a Conditional Purchase and thus be put on a freehold basis. Settlement Purchase : — This form of holding arises when large private estates are resumed by the Crown and made available in blocks, each one of which is intended to support a family in comfort. A ten years' residence condition is attached and instalments ex- tend over a period of 38 years, after which the purchase becomes freehold. Homestead selections and settlement leases may be converted into con- ditional purchases or conditional purcliase leases.

In the Western Division the land is leased by the State to pastoral tenants, mainly for grazing, but small areas in or near townships are leased for special purposes.

The following are the chief features of the Act of 1901, which governs the administration of the western lands :—

(1) Tenure of Western Leaseholds extended to June 30, 1943, subject to resumption of one-eighth of the total area ; and all new leases are made to expire on the same date. (2) Occupation Licenses are held as Annual Tenures — out of which Western Lands Leases may be granted. (3) Im- provements on the land at date of granting of the Leases become the pro- perty of the Crown on the expiration of the Leases, but the Lessees have tenant right in all authorised improvements. (4) Rent-minimum 2'?. Qd. per square mile ; maximum Id. per sheep on the carrying capacity of the land.

The total land alienated or in process of alienation on .Tune 30, 1911, was 54,115,203 acres. The tolal land occupied under leases of various kinds was 125,771,584 acres. The following table gives the statistics of holdings of 1 acre and upwards for years ended March 31: —

Acreage

1903

1904 19,774

1905

190G

1907

1908

1909

1910

1911

1912

1 to 15 acres.

18,956

20,584

21,270

22,004

23,591

24,133

25,012

26,021

27,071

16 to 200

29,493

.30,117

30,261

30,402

30,744

30,908

31,014

31,296

31,406

31,342

201 to 400 .

9,069

9,. 391

9,582

9,790

10,070

10,451

10.032

10,884

11,278

ll.f.SO

401 to 1,000 .

8,634

R,762

9,011

9,171

9,481

9.874

10,061

10,573

10,959

11,629

1,001 to 2,000

2,961

8,046

3,161

3,363

3,519

3,587

3,782

3,869

4,142

4,484

2,001 to 10,000 .

2,276

2,308

2,351

2,420

2,479

2,593

2,705

2,831

2,991

3,319

10,001 and upwards

73S

730

722 75,672

720

729

728 81,732

718

710

706

708

Total .

72,127

74,128

77,136

79,026

83,045

85,175

87,503

90,233