EXTENSION OF SETTLEMENT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1370, 14 October 1886, Page 3

EXTENSION OF SETTLEMENT.

The banquet given to the Hon J. Ballance the other day, under the auspices of the Masterton Special Settlement Association, and the complimentary speeches made on that occasion were a well deserved tribute to the wisdom and success of the policy of the Minister for Lands in the establishment of village and small farm settlements. In Auckland the unemployed difficulty has been, to a large extent, solved by providing allotments of land upon easy terms, and giving to the settlers thereon employment in making roads destined to open up more land for settlement in the same way, and in the Wellington provincial district large areas of hitherto almost unutilised bush are rapidly being converted into the pleasant homesteads of hundreds of industrious and prosperous settlers. We have already, on more than one occasion, congratulated Mr Ballance upon all this, but we have at the same time earnestly urged upon him that he should not confine his efforts to the sister island, but that a similar system should be brought into operation, without delay, in Canterbury and Otago. We have admitted that, so far as Canterbury is concerned at any rate, the Crown is not in possession of the necessary land in the most suitable localities for the establishment of such settlements, but we have insisted, and we reiterate that insistance, that that is a difficulty that can and must be surmounted by the expropriation of land, that is to say by its reacquisilion by the Crown on fair terms from the present owners. And we are very glad indeed to perceive from Mr Ballance’s - reply £0 the toast of his health on the occasion referred to, that he recognises the necessity of this course being taken, as indicated by the following passage culled from the report of his remarks ; —“ The quantity of Crown lands available for agricultural purposes was comparatively limited, but there were large private estates suitable for the purpose, and if they found these estates standing in the way of settlement it was the duty of Government to apply the principle of expropriation, which had been applied at Home, so long as a fair price was paid for the land. He thought most people had come to the conclusion that it was absolutely necessary that some of these lands lying in the vicinity of towns should be taken in order to settle them. Of course there would be difficulties in the way, but it appeared to bim that if they were taken at the Property Tax valuation, with 10 per cent added, the owners would have no reason to complain.” Referring to Sir George Grey’s Bill in this direction, Mr Ballance said it was “ not well thought out,” and indicated that a better scheme to the same end was in contemplation by himself and colleagues. “The matter would have to come up soon, possibly next session, and he believed the Government would face it.” He then proceeded to indicate his own views as to the manner in which the question should be dealt with. “What he proposed was to proceed upon the lines of the special settlement system, and where the settlers were prepared to pay the Property Tax value, and had a quarter of the money to pay for it, the Government should advance three-fourths of the money at five per cent, interest. This system, in his opinion, would result in settlement springing up in all parts of the colony.” We concur in that view, but would ask that a deposit of 25 per cent, of the purchase money should not be rigidly insisted upon. A ten-acre section rebeught by the Government in the immediate neighborhood of Ashburton, Timaru, or Oamaru would represent a capital value of £,200, and a like area in the close vicinity of such places as St Andrews, Fatrlie Creek, Waimate, Makikihi, Hampden, Herbert, or Waikouaiti would represent a capital value of £IOO, and a demand for down, or even would be to shut out a large number of very suitable settlers. Tne deposit should not be more than 10 per cent, of the Mhtf, and this should be calculated years’ rent paid in advance, the land being let on perpetual lease. However, these are modifications which can, and no doubt will, be made in the Legislature —the great point is to get a measure in this direction submitted as a Government measure, private members, however earnest, having little hope of carrying such proposals into law. Private members have, however, done good service, especially in the last two sessions, in ventilating the question and educating the House and the country up to the necessity of the suggested new departure. They have in fact paved the way for the Government, and we hope that Mr Ballance will not falter in the path which lies before him, but persevere in the direction indicated by his remarks, and that he will succeed in carrying legislation next session which will enable the extension to this part of the colony of the advantages which are now being reaped in the North under the village and special settlement systems.