A COSTLY SCHEME.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1445, 15 January 1887, Page 2

A COSTLY SCHEME.

10 THE EDITOR. 1 Sib, — The* statements made m the ? laudatory article ou " Village Settlement i m Auckland " lately published m the , Miniaterial organ m Auckland, and which j. you reprinted a day or two ago, will awaken unpleasant reflections m the minds of the taxpayers of this colony. It appears that the Government are giving one hundred fortunate individuals, whose sole merit is that they are " hard up," fifty acres of land a-piece m one of the finest spots m New Zealand, whose climate is described by the Evening Btll as " the mildest, the most balmy, the most delicious, perhaps, to be found on the face of the wide earth," to be held by them on perpetual lease at a nominal rental of £2 10d a year. The Government is likewlu* about to lend eaoh of these lucky persons £70 of the public money to be expended m improving his property, for which he will only be asked to pay a very low rate of interest, while the principal is " never to be repaid if they desire it" (and we may depend upon it they never will desire it.) Further, each settler, with his family and belongings, is to be carried free from Auckland to the point of debarkation, where " they will be met by bullock teams and conveyed to their future homes, where they will find sheds and raupo whares prepared for their accommodation," for all of which the hardworking taxpayer will have to pay. Still more, roads are to be laid off for the express purpose of providing these Ministerial protege's with a few months' work. Now, where is the quid pro quo to the colony for all this expenditure — these special advantages for which ordinary colonists will'have to pay ? Where is the security that these settlarß will remain permanently upon their lottings ? When they have taken a crop or two off the land, what is to prevent them clearing out, leaving the £70 unpaid 1 ? If, too, the public funds are to be lavishly spent upon perpetual lease settlers, why should not equal assistance be given to persons who take up land on lease from private individuals, or who buy the freehold of the wdßto lands of tho Crown. In the 1 utter cases permanent settlement is far more likely to be effected than by planting a lot of penniless persons on perpetual lease lands, and leading them to look to the Government for money and work, An extravagant -eulogy upon Mr Ballance, oontained m the same article, suggests the idea that the whole affair is merely a puff for Mr Ballance, whb, from the commencement of his political career, has systematically utilised the Pregs *8 a means of advertising and glorifying his own mediocre performances,— l am, &c, Anti Humbug