Special Settlement Associations.

In addition to the ordinary modes of acquiring land, provision is made for setting apart blocks of rural land for special settlement.

Not more than 250,000 acres in all may be disposed of under this system in any one year.

The following is a copy of the instructions already published for the guidance of persons who may propose to form themselves into special settlement associations:— page 19

1.	Every association should consist of not less than twelve persons.
2.	The land to be selected to be in one block.
3.	The area to be selected to be not less than 1,000 acres nor greater than 11,000 acres, inclusive of roads, townships, and such other reserves as may be considered necessary, and to be surveyed into sections of not more than 320 acres each in the case of ordinary rural land, and in the case of swamp land into sections of not more than 500 acres each: Provided that there should be one selector for every 200 acres of ordinary land, and one selector for every 500 acres of swamp land.
4.	The cost of survey to be paid by the association, and such survey shall be made under the direction of the Surveyor General; the estimated cost, not exceeding 2s. 6d. an acre, to be deposited with the Receiver of Land Revenue before any survey is undertaken.
5.	The Minister of Lands to have power to reserve sites for towns, schools, reserves for education, and for such other purposes as he may consider necessary.
6.	Intending applicants will, when required, be supplied with maps showing lands open for application by associations.
7.	All applications must be made to the Minister of Lands by the secretary or chairman of the association, and should contain a list of the names, addresses, and occupations of the applicants, and the area which each member desires to acquire.
8.	The association to satisfy itself that the block of land selected is suitable for occupation. Should the land on survey be found to be unfit for subdivision into sections as applied for, the sole responsibility to rest on the applicants.
9.	The Minister may approve or disapprove of any application.
10.	Members to be capable of making the statutory declaration required by the Land Act, and to be over seventeen years of age.
11.	The tenure to be a lease in perpetuity, and the rent 4 per cent. of the capital value; such rent to be fixed in terms of "The Land Act, 1892," but to be not less than 10s. an acre. The rent for the first two years may be added to the capital value of the land, or may be paid off at any time, at the option of the selector.
12.	The provisions of the Land Act as to payment of thirds for road-construction to apply.
13.	Rent to be paid to the Receiver of Land Revenue of the district.
14.	The provisions of the Land Act as to residence, occupation, and permanent improvements to apply to all leases granted under such Act.
15.	[unclear: T]he secretary may be required by the Commissioner of Crown Lands to give a certificate that the person claiming to select land is a member of the association, and, if so required, to furnish to the said Commissioner minutes of the proceedings of the association.
16.	In the event of the death of a settler, his interest in the allotment may be wed to revert to his legal representatives, who may dispose of it to a bonâ fide settler approved by the Commissioner; the purchaser to be deemed to stand in the position of the original settler.
17.	No transfers to be permitted before sections are allotted to members, but after allotment and compliance with conditions transfers may be approved by the Commissioner on the same terms as in sections 83, 86, and 147 of the Land Act.page 20
18.	No person who is the owner in fee or leasehold of any land in New Zealand which together with the land included in his application or transfer under these conditions would exceed 320 acres or 500 acres, as the case may be; and no person who has made an arrangement or agreement to permit any one, save his son or daughter, to acquire by purchase or otherwise the allotment in respect of which his application is made, to be entitled to become a settler.
19.	Any settler who may fail to comply with the conditions upon which the land is disposed of in any respect, upon proof to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to forfeit his interest in the land selected, and the Commissioner to cause such interest to be again open for selection by a bonâ fide settler. Any settler so selecting to be deemed to stand in the position of the original settler.
20.	Should any doubt arise as to the construction of these instructions, the same shall be settled by the Minister of Lands.

An association of intending settlers may also be formed to take up conjointly a block of 5,000 acres, which may be disposed of in suitable-sized lots to persons who agree to work them under regulations made from time to time by the Governor, fixing the terms and conditions on which the land may be occupied.