asked the Minister for Lands the total acreage of land sold to non-nationals in respect of the period April 1965 to the latest available date.

Section 45, Land Act, 1965, provides for direct control by the Land Commission over the purchase of rural land by non-qualified persons, as defined in the section—principally non-nationals.

In the 14 month period since 1st April, 1965, the total acreage—apart from transactions arising solely from mortgage interests or involving areas of five acres or less—in respect of which the Land Commission have consented, pursuant to section 45 (2) (a), to the vesting of interests in non-nationals was approximately 7,900 acres. Almost half of this acreage was accounted for by four transactions involving substantial areas which were either unsuitable or not required for land settlement purposes.