SUCCESS OF THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME IN AUCKLAND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1341, 14 September 1886, Page 2

SUCCESS OF THE VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME IN AUCKLAND.

{N Z Herald Septembar ?.} The success which has attended thw first attempt in promoting Ur BaUanoe's village settlement scheme in North Anokand is one of the most rsmarkabls events in connection with rural ocoopatloo in New Zealand There Imre been special settlement schemes before this attended with less or more of rood fortune, bat the alow and toilsome efforts which preceded the gathering together of the people stand in singular contrast to the startling suddenness of this extraordinary achievement, Over two head red applicants have besieged the doon of the ■ Grown Lands Office within the past few days*, while forty dr fifty additional applications are known to have miscarried or been delayed on the way ; and, whila less than half the namber have obtained the gratification of their desires in winning by lot or by single selection tbs farms on which they bad set their hurts, the remainder, disappointed no' doubt, will have but a brief space of time to wait until other and equally eligible land is made available for their requirements. Of those who have been fortunate in obtaining their selections, it Is the opinion of the Crown Lands officers that there Is not one who is unsuitable for the duties, they have undertaken Those who have won selections by lot are all married persons, and generally possessed of fanillies, the claims of single men having, according to previous announcement, been obliged to stand aside in ease of Competition for a lot; and all the allottees, whether married or single, afford 0*617 indication'of belonging to the class of the iudaatrions sod deserving. A few of the lots available ware not applied Tor, bat this was to be expected ; Indeed, In the case of the few lots so remaining, in- „ tending applicants were specially warned by Mr London that these iota should not be up by any persons who wen not possessed of some money capable of maintaining their famliaa, as In the iramfdiate neighbourhood of those particular lots there were not gamfields, nor any form of steady employment available; although the laud is of the very finest character, and is situated on the track of the future railway extension. la one area, where many lota appear yet unclaimed,. there are really applicants for all; for though thirteen only have coma from the district forty-tiro besides had made special application for the particular block being thrown open, and the formal applications for the several parts will make their appearance in due coarse. Taken altogether this affair has been a wonderful soccers, and ft places beyond farther dispute the much vexed question as to whether land was really wanted by the industrious but nonwealthy classes. That want clearly has existed ; and now that It has so unmistakably manifested itself, we have little doubt that Ur Ballaoce, who has taken snch a deep Interests ii this scheme, and who as ws notice ts about to Visit Auckland In connection with it, will see that there is no stoppage in supply for this most desirable demand.