§ Mr. Hurdasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) the total area of agricultural land under the control of the Agricultural Land Commission on 31st March, 1955; and what was the total area at the latest convenient date: (2) what progress has been made in the policy of selling agricultural land controlled by the Agricultural Land Commission, which was initiated in 1955; what is the total acreage of land now approved for disposal; what is the acreage of land of which the sale has been completed; of how many acres the sale has been agreed but not yet completed; what is the balance of land cleared for sale but not yet the subject of an agreed sale; and what is the period likely to elapse before this balance will be sold.
§ Mr. GodberThe total area of land under the control of the Agricultural Land Commission, including a small area not in use for agriculture, was 227,648 acres on 31st March, 1955, and 196,496 on 30th June, 1957. Since sales began in 1954, 79,000 acres have been approved for disposal. Of this, the sale of 26,106 acres has been completed, and price has been agreed but sale not completed in respect of a further 11,335 acres, leaving a balance of about 41,500 acres so far cleared for sale but not yet subject to an agreed sale. It is hoped to dispose of the greater part of this balance within the next two years, in the course of which further areas can be expected to be cleared for sale.