Story: Government and agriculture

North Island land purchases (1st of 2)

This map shows the 78 North Island properties (red) purchased between 1896 and 1912 under the Lands for Settlement Act 1894. This was one of the Liberal Government’s initiatives to support agriculture by breaking up large estates and selling them off as family farms. Smaller holdings became economically viable as refrigerated shipping opened up international markets for sheep meat and dairy products. The properties in purple were Crown lands available for settlement.

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Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: MapColl 830gbbd/1911-12/Acc.51763

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Tony Nightingale, 'Government and agriculture - Land reform and farmer education, 1890s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/zoomify/18053/north-island-land-purchases (accessed 17 April 2024)

Story by Tony Nightingale, published 24 Nov 2008