MEMORANDUM BY THE PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE OF AUCKLAND IN RELATION TO THE IMMIGRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS ACT OF THE ASSEMBLY.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 512, 31 August 1871, Page 3

MEMORANDUM BY THE PROVINCIAL EXECUTIVE OF AUCKLAND IN RELATION TO THE IMMIGRATION AND PUBLIC WORKS ACT OF THE ASSEMBLY.

(.Continued.]

7 The propr1 "*/*, therefore, of the Executive' with ri>-I<i;^i;'/ ito tho application of the loan to the? ;rn districts, -would consequently eomprun. the following divisions : — jj rß t; the construction of the railway line, already mentioned from Auckland to the point o f junction with the Kaipara railway, far which a sum of £60,000 would he nccessary.geoondly —the acquisition of as much of the good land in the north, and especially in the district already referred to, as possible. This could not be done, it is believed, but nt a cost —including surreys, &c—of about six shillings per acre, ■which, however, would not be too hich a price to pay for the best of the land; "and to provide for the purchase of 350,000 acres a Bum of about £75,000 would be requisite. Having thus acquired a large estate for settlement, the Executive would propose that the Colonial Government should be moved to set aside a sum of about £75,000 for the purpose of opening up roads through tho various districts of the north ; and tnat the co-operation of tho Provincial Government ihould bo tendered to the Colonial Government, with a view to securing the economical expenditure of this fund, an end only to be attained by the most vigilant adminisration acting on the spot. The Kaipara railway, with the extension already proposed, and steam services on the Kaipara •waters, which, in common -with other local Bteam services, the Executive recognise as coming properly within the sphere, and in all probability within the means of the Provincial Q-ovßrnment., will, it is believed, go, far towards providing-m«!mtf".»frsc(Jass to the-seHla* ments and lands immediately abutting upon the Kaipnra harbour and its- trihutofj r rivers, but it would appear requisite for the profitable settlement of the couutry that,a good road should be opened from the settlement of Port Albert to Mahurangi, another across the country from Paparoa to "VVangarei, and a third following the coast line and connecting Mnhnrangi with the Nova Scotian (settlement nt Waipu, and both with the Wangarei district. From the fork of the Wairoa—the natural terminus of the steam services on the Wairoa river—a main line of road should fee opened, passing through the rich country above referred to as existing in tho northern district, communicating at the samo time with the Bay of Ifilands and Hokianga districts and harbours. In addition to these proposals for tho purchase of native lands and Opening up communication with the north, the Executive propose that the immigration loan should be taken advantago of for the purpose of procuring and settling on the lands, and in the districts thus acquired and opened up, an agricultural population suitable to the wants of the province. It*is considered that this cowld be done without difficulty, by offering to suitable classes in the mother country tho inducements of cheap passages for thcmselres and families, and free grants of small holdings on condition of settlement and improvement. The experience -of tho Government immigration promoted' some years ago to the districts on this side the Waikato river, is considered by the Executive as affording sufficient proof of the extreme feasibility of the scheme, and indicating the difficulties to bo met with in carrying it out. By a judicious use of the road works to be carried out in their neighbourhood, and a careful reservation of lands adjacent to the various settlements to be sold to these settlers when they shall be in a position to purchase them, there can be little doubt that a very large and most valuable population could be settled in the northern districts without difficulty, and with the happiest results, both to the immediate neighbourhoods settled and to the country at large. The cost of introducing immigrants is not very easily calculated, but if it is supposed that persons of a suitable kind could be obtained by an expenditure of £7 10s. each person, in addition to their own contributions, it would be possiblo to introduce 3000 families, averaging four adult members, at a cost to the province of less thin £100,000. 8. The proposed expenditure on account of tho north, if we suppose three-fourths of the immigration proposed to belong to those districts, would thus be—for land purchases, £75,000; for roads, £75,000; for railway extension, £60,000; for immigration, £75,000; making in all a sum of £28";,000, but little more than the probable cost o( the construction of the extended railroad line from Mercer to t!ie Waikato frontier. This division of expenditure does not appear to tho Government to be wholly equitable towards the north, but it is proposed us a measure of justice, which may, upon its proving a succes3, bo supplemented by further expenditure in the directions already indicated. 9. In addition to the proposals already made, the Executive would urge the desirability of such a modified! ion being made in the Public Works Acts of tho Assembly, as would admit of an advance being made out of the loan in aid of improvements for the harbour of Auckland, to the extent of, say £75,000, and a sum of from £60,000 to £80,000 for a water supply to the ci*y and suburbs of Auckland. It Is scarcely necessary to urge the great desirability of these works, as the importance of the improvement of the harbour of Auckland, not only to the province but to the colony at large, can hardly foil to be apparent to all, while there can be little or no doubt that the supply of water to the city at such a cost would prove not only a usefel but a bighiy re-productive work. - 10. The Executive, in making these proposals, do not lose sight of the great advantage to be derived from the construction of a lino of cheap railroad connecting the Thames goldfield with, the valley of the Waikato, near the frontier settlements, nor of the permanent importance of acquiring the freehold title to the lands comprised within the goldfields. The valley of the Thames would, itis believed, afford exceptionally great advantages for the construction of such a line, and, in view of the benefit to be derived from thus connecting the agricultural country with a market, the Executive would not hesitate to advise the immediate undertaking of the work did such a course appear to be feasible. At present this is not the case, but as it is impossible to say how long tbre obstacles to opening the Upper Thames may continue, the Executive would w.'p- iend the reservation of a sum of at li*) ,200,000 with the view of providing the m. V* for undertaking this work as soon as circumstances render it feasible. They would also recommend the reservation of a sum of aot less than £40,000 for tho gradual extinction of the native title on the goldfields. 11. A recapitulation of the above proposals will show the following results ;—The Executive would recommend the construction of the railway to Mercer, if possible, upon guarantee ; they also recommend tho immediate prosecution of the work of its extension to tho delta of the Waikato, at a cost probably not exceeding £250,000. They would urge the desirability of connecting the Provincial railroad from Kaiparft to Kiverhcad with the city of Auckland by a line of railway about eighteen miles long, probably costing about j £60,000. They would advocate every exertion being made to induce the Colonial Government to authorise an expenditure of £75,000 for

roads, and of £75,000 for land purchase in the north of the province; and they would most strongly recommend that provision should be made for the immediate introduction of the water supply to the Thames goldfield, even should it appear that the cost of the work would be likely to exceed the £50,000 asked for by the Provincial Council, and that a sum of £200,000 should be reserved for the construction of the Thames Valley line of railroad as soon as the attitude of the natives render such a work possible, and of £40,000 for the purchase of lands in the goldfields districts. To those proposals tho Executive would add the gradual introduction, at a cost not exceeding £100,000, of a suitable class of immigrants into the province, in accordance with the scheme already prepared and submitted for your Honor's approval. Finally, the Executive would strongly urge the importance of such a modification being introduced into the Immigration and Public Works Act of the Assembly as would enable the Colonial Government to sanction an expenditure out of the loan of £75,000 for harbour works, and about £75,000 for a supply of pure water to the city of Auckland. Tho proposals thus made will involve, if carried out, an expenditure of about £1,000,000, a sum which, large as it may appear, is not greater than may be fairly claimed by thia province as its legitimate proportion of the £4,000,000 loan; and the Executive are sanguine that, if expended with care and judgment in the directions indicated, the permanent benefit to the province will be so great as largely to vindicate the policy of the Government.

Hugh H. Lttse, For the Executive, Superintendent's Office, Auckland, Ist August, 1871.