WOODVILLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4044, 8 July 1884, Page 4

WOODVILLE.

[from otr own correspondent.] Tho chief topic of tho week has been the discussion of political matters, in which feeling is ruTining- vei-yiiiyli- - Since last writing I hear that Mr C. M. Campbell has relinquished his commission business in favor of Mr Hogg, late of Wanganui, who will carry it on. Mr Charles A. Bevan is also giving up his photographic business, and leaves to-day for Auckland. Mr Bevan has long resided in Woodville, and has gained great respect, and leaves many good friends behind him, who regret his departure, and wish him every prosperity and happiness in the place of his intended residence. Tho Oddfellows, of which Society he was a prominent member, met on Saturday, where a parting address was given, and a similar expression of good-will has been expressed both hy other societies and by personal friends.

To supply tho place of this gap iv our business circles, two new painters are announced to open business. So probably li ere, as anywhere else, the wheel will go round, "one down, t'other come on," and so wo jog along. It is interesting to compare our settlement with others of a similar nature which exist on the West Coast. That country has been settled on for many years, but on tho same principal of small settlements, although there are large holdings amongst them that serve to supply capital and employment for labor. The line of road from Palmcrston North to Awakuoi, and even to Fielding, and how much further I know not, is settled by small farmers, who have fiat rich laud, once bush, but now for the most part nicely cleared and laid down in grass. The houses are well built and nicely decorated, and in many cases quite picturesquely laid out with gardens and lawns. This is what we may expect the Seventy-mile Bush to come to some day, and the chief difference does not here present itself. But in the matter of townships the West Coast does certainly differ from our part of the world. The towns of Fielding and Halcombe, for instance, are one square milo in extent, and divided into sections, none of which I believe exceed four or five acres in extent, and the most of them are only quarters, halves, and acres. On a great many of these small houses have been built, and a stranger is imbued with the impression that ho is in a large settlement. But he finds, on enquiry, that this is not so. Thcso houses form the chief part of the settlement, and aro very much more numerous than tho holding outside. The consequences aro that, if my information is correct, the town far exceeds the country in proportion, and the reverse of prosperity is the result. In fact I was told that in most of the past few winters times have been so dull, and work so scarce, and labor so plentiful, that a sort of poor rate has been raised by voluntary subscription to relieve the ablebodied men who reside there. Now in New Zealand such a thing should not happen. In Woodville, for instance, times may press hard on working men at intervals, but never has such a thing been known as a subscription for this relief. The reason is obvious. Here we are chiefly country settlements, and a comparatively small township; there the settlements are not so numerous as the town allotments. Now, whilst I greet any new onterprise that is started hero with some satisfaction, for it seems that people have confidence iv the place, still I do hope to see that the town and suburbs do not increase to too largo an extent in comparison with the country. Let the town increase in proportion with the country, but not too fast for it. The selling of land in too many sections of small area will in my opinion tend to produce the same state of things as those just described as existing on the West Coast.

I am glad to see that tho candidate for Manawatu, Mr D. M. Macarthur, takes vory similar views on the question of the settlement of land as those lately expressed by tho Woodville Settlers Association. PIo holds that land should not be sold at auction, and points at the late sales at Hawera, Opunake, and those plains as an example. There, many men paid more for tho land two years ago than it can possibly be worth for many years to come. In a great many instances the holdings have already changed hands, through force of circumstances, at a very much lower figure than was paid to the Crown, and some men have been totally ruined by their ventures. There was such a rush at the time, and the fever was raging so high, and this was increased by the Government advertising the lands in such glowing terms, that purchasers seemed to have quite lost their senses and bid on and on till the lots were finally knocked down to them at most abnormal prices. The same thing, only to a lesser degree, has taken place in the Seventy-mile Bush. Now I hold, with Mr Macarthur, that the country.'will be far wealthier ten years hence if it has tho land settled by prosperous farmers, those who paid a fair price for the land to the State, than it will be if farmers pay all their money away in the price of tho land, and arc for ever afterwards crippled aud unable to do those improvements on which depend all future commerce and prosperity. There arc many here who hope to hear that tho Waste Lands Board will adopt such measures in future as, even if they for the time being bring less revenue to the Crown, will some future day settle the land with prosperous and contented fanners.

On the first of this month Mr T. F. Fountaino retired from tho business lately carried on under tho name of Monteith and Fouutaine, and tho new firm will be known as.-onteith Brothers.