Captain MACDONALDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether a beginning has yet been made in the valuation 901W of the small holdings acquired under the Land Settlement Facilities Act; by whom this valuation will be made; and whether he has formed any estimate of the loss which is likely to fall upon the Exchequer as a result?
Mr. GUINNESSThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; in reply to the second part, the settlement between councils and the Ministry will be arrived at by agreement, or, in default of agreement, by arbitration. and negotiations with a view to a settlement are being carried out at the present time by representatives of the cow oils and the Ministry respectively. As regards the last part of the question, it is not possible at present to make any statement beyond that given in the Report on Land Settlement which was issued in November last.