The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1888. A VOTE WANTED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1915, 11 August 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1888. A VOTE WANTED.

The Auckland members deserve well of their constituencies for the efforts they are making to have the land available m their provincial district, and suitable for village settlements, thrown open under Mr JBallance's scheme. A public meeting recently demanded that effect should be given to local wishes on this important subject, and, indeed, public feeling is strong m the north respecting the village settlement scheme of landholding. It has been suggested m some quarters that a freehold tenure might be given to the settlers, but this course has several o v jections m the eyes of those who desire to see the land occupied. The issuo of freehold rights to many of the settlers, would, instead of a blessing, prove a curse for by having liberty to mortgage their freeholds they would soon be the prey of the money lender and the Mortgage Company. The village settlement scheme was instituted as a provision against the cry of the unemployed ; money has been advanced to enable the Bettler to make his home and clear his holding, and as a set off against this, the country has the improvements and increased value of the land by cultivation as a lien should the settler fail m his part of thn conuuu>. In tlio noi ff liborhood of towns m agricultural districts such settlements afford a home for the labourer free of rent and when shearing, harvest, aud threshing work can be got he gets the best wages going. When these employments end for the season, and should no public works be going on m his locality there is the improvement of his holding to occupy his attention while he is always ready when wanted to do odd and casual work required on a farm or road contract. The settlements should dispose of the " swagger " element entirely as wken once a laborer had a home of his own he would be very chary of spending a winter carrying his swag from place to place on the look out for a job. Instead of voting so much money m the relief of Charitable Aid, the Government might do well to apply some of it to the purchase of good land near country towns to be thrown open for settlement upon tho basis of Mr Ballance's regulations, The nothern members are displaying activity ia the direction of having this done m their consti^uencesi and the member for Waimate is foremost among those who wish the same thing carried out m the south.