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
