The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1888. MISSING HIS OPPORTUNITY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2014, 15 December 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1888. MISSING HIS OPPORTUNITY.

The satisfactory improvement which has taken place m the value of produce, the terrible drought which has been ex- ' perienced m Australia, returning confidence m the future of our own colony and the free choice of tenure afforded under the new Land Act, have worked a wondeplW change m connection with the i demand for land for settlement. An exchange says {-W The demand for country land m various parts of the colony has not been so great for years as it is at the present moment In the Auckland district, where the depression ' has been most severely felt during the last two or three years, there is quite a little boom going on m the matter of land settlement. The Assistant Sur-veyor-General says of it : 'There seems to be quite a spurt m settlement, and as far as I can judge there are a great many of the very best class of settlers, that is, old eettjerg' sons. They have been born and bred m the country, and have all the necessary experience. Finer settlers it would be impossible to get. Hitherto they have not cared to settle down, but they are certainly doing so now.' The officer m question attribute/3 the demand to the advantages m the matter of pejection which the present Act affords, and to prove his case supplies the following interesting figures : — 'From March (when the new Apt came into force) to the 30th of November, 1888, (nine months) there were 242 selectors for cash, 19,200 acres: 65 selectors for deferred pay- 1 ment, 6700 acres ; 107 Belectorß for perpetual lease, 15,422 acres. For twelve months ending 30th March, 1887 : 158 selectors for pash, 6778 acres ; 31 selectors for deferred payment, 3512 acres ; 41 selectors for perpetual lease, 3998 acres. 1 hat shows, I think, pretty conclusively that the public appreciate tb.e option given them of making their own chpico of tenure." The cause assigned is, as we haye Bajd, one of those which are working together to produce so satisfactory a result, but it is only one of them. The fact is, however, just now of more interest than the reasons which have produced it, and Lit is only to be regretted that thjo j^'-^ter for Lands is not making the mosUf the ;; le^id opportunity which favoring circumstance; ."" We - U » S Z™ legislation have placed at his tee*. * is not advantage taken of the provisions of the Act which enable the price of second-class lands to bo reduced, and why are not large areas of such lands (for we have no other remaining unsold) opened up for' sale m Canterbury? There would be a great number of holdings taken up if this were done, for ' there we plenty of people j a the colony ]

ready and willing to settle upon the? land if the necessary facilities are offered. ' Then again, why is not an effort made to bring m settlers with capital from elsewhere, also, by sending advertisements with maps and descriptions to Australia where many farmers are anxiously enquiring whither to direct their steps ? These are questions which cannot be answered satisfactorily except by taking the action indicated, and we very much fear that the manner m which he is missing his opportunity confirms „ . " , , rr . J ■■ , . the view urged by a contemporary that Mr ttichardson, of whom so much was hoped, is after all but a square man m a round hole. • ' '