PURCHASE OF HILLERSDEN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1754, 20 May 1913, Page 8

PURCHASE OF HILLERSDEN.

WHAT IT MEANS TO MARLBOROUGH;

Tho recen 1 !; neouisition by the Government of tho Hillersden estate in Marlborough, and tho results likely to spring from that transaction, are i'nterottwglv reviewed by tho "Marlborough Express'' ill an editorial.

"With the purchase of the Hillersden. Estate by 'the Government," the "Express" remarks, "one of the foremost ambitions of tho people of Marlborough, and one that lias been the subject of protracted agitation, lias been attained. The event will materially stimulate tho course of progress, not only on account of the actual result's 'that will be secured in tho way of closer settlement, but also for tho reason that fresh confidence in the resource? and prospects of the district will be created, and a distinctly new Measure of encouragement afforded to tho civic work of urging and promoting development. We feel certain, too, that th» Government , has essentially served the interests of tho whole country in acquiring the property, and that the people of tho Dominion generally, as well as those of Marlborough in particular, may bo congratulated on the conclusion ot' the longand arduous negotiations with tho Hillersden trustees. Tho transaction is one of the largest from a monetary point of view that tho Government has undertaken under tho land for settlement scheme lor several years; but (here is every reason to believe that the judgment of the Purcliaso Board will be fully justified. Tho area of freehold purchased is 78,000 acres, and tho prico agr«d upon, it is understood, is .€2 2s. 6d. per acre. In addition there are 82,000 acres of Crown leasehold, which consists wholly of rough mountainous oountry/ and carries on the average only about 8000 sheep, but which should b.3 of no small value as a means of assisting the plan of subdivision. Tho freehold, which has been carrying about 43,000 contains approximately 12,000 acres of flat and ploughable country, mostly of fair productive quality and capable of considerable improvement. It is expertly estimated that tho property will givo a comfortable footing to 25 or 30 settlers—or, say, a total population of 150 souls. Supposing on a -rough calculation 'that tho Hillersden Estate will b9 finally settled at «a cost- of .£IBO,OOO, its future as a Stwte niny, we doubt not, bo anticipated with confid"The acquisition of Hillersden," the "Express" goes on to remark, "will Iw welcomed a.s tho first forward movement in the settlement of a remarkably extensive stretch of unpeopled _ country—an area, iu fact» which in this respect is quite uninuo in the. description of tho wholo of rtew Zealand. Tho estate is a> uflrt of a district of mriny hundreds of thousands of acr-es—the bulk of it lyuu? between Blenheim and Hillersden—eminently suitable for subdivision and cupable of a. manifoldly larser output of agricultural and pastoral produce, which is (sparsely dotted with homesteads monv miles distant from each other, and wmen must, bv all the law* of trno advance. ! ment and prosperity, eventually eorrv a substantial proportion of tho population of Marlborough; In that direction, too. will run the railway that will connect Blenheim witli not only many thriving settlements, but also with tho junction of tho Nelson and Westland railway systems. We welcome the purchase of Huleralen the moro warmly as we are encouraged to believe that it brings into closer view tho realisation of this attractive prospcct.