The Ashburton Guardian. Manga et Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1889. VILLAGE SETTLEMNTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2313, 24 December 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Manga et Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1889. VILLAGE SETTLEMNTS.

Residents m this district do not need to be told that Mr Balance's village settlement scheme has worked i well — they have the fact before them, but inasmuch as it is well known that the present Minister for Lands is not a believer m the system, and as it has been urged by the opponents of that system that while snccessful m Canterbury it has not succeeded elsewhere, it is qnite worth while to. take a glance at what is the real state of the case. Let us for the present confine ourselves to the Wellington district. As to the village settlements m that provincial district we learn from the " Post " that at a meeting of the Waste Lands Board held on Friday there was submitted * report from the Crown Lands Ranger showing " that only six out of 51 selectors m the Kopuaranga block whose sections he has visited recently have not complied with the requirements. On three of these half-dozen sections, however, some improvements have been effected. The area which he inspected was 4964 acres, of which 658 had to be improved, at a cost oi £1640, m order to meet the requirements of the Act, No fewer than 1796 acres have been improved, at an expenditure of £4234, or an area and expenditure m excess of requirements of 1138 tores and £2594. The Banger also laid before the Board a report with reference to the Pemberton Special Settlement. He stated that 17 out of 66 sections have not been im- ! proved as required, although some work has been done on 11. He inspected 7000 acres, and found that 1340 acres have been improved at a cost of £8300, or an axcess over requirements of 641 acres, representing £1541. The Banger also submitted reports relative to the Bandon and the Awabou-Pohangina Special Settlements. He reported, with regard to the Sandon settlement that only ten out of 53 selectors have complied with requirements, but that 81 have effected partial improvements. The area required to be improved was 534 acres, at a cost of £1333, but only 265 acres have been cultivated, the expenditure being £552, leaving a deficiency of 289 acres, representing £771. Out of 60 selectors m the AwahauPohangina Special Settlement block, 35 have not complied with the requirements, but on 23 sections partial improvements have been effected. The area required to be improved wad 635 acres, at a cost of £1567, whereas 902 are under cultiva tion, the expenditure thereon having been £1943. The area m excess of requirements is 267 acres, representing an expenditure of £376." This is, take it altogether, a most excellent record and ought to be sufficient to put to shame those who have decried these village settlements both m season and out of season.