The Dunstan Times FRIDAY, 9th NOVEMBER, 1866.

Dunstan Times, Issue 237, 9 November 1866, Page 2

The Dunstan Times

FRIDAY, 9th NOVEMBER, 1866.

4 Beneath the rule of men entirely just, tlu prn is miohtieu than the sword!’*

The Settlement of the Lands Question as far as the Dunstan District is concerned, promises shortly to bo definitely and finally accomplished ; already the Warden is engaged making selections of agricultural areas from the neighbouring runs, and before many weeks have passed, we hope to be in a position to announce in our columns, that His Honoi the Superintendent has proclaimed these areas open for selection by bona tide intending cultivators. The fine land lying at the foot of the Dunstan Eanges intersected by the head-waters of Chatto's Creek, and that excellent tract of country on the west bank of the Molyneux, known as the Coal Creek or Bald Hill Flat, will in all probability form the areas for Clyde and Alexandra, while the rich alluvial ground skirting the northern slope of the Mount Pisa Ranges, and extending from the Lowburn to the Kawarau hiver, will most likely be the area selected for Cromwell. These areas contain the choicest land in the district, and as has been proved, are suitable for the production of cerials of every description. They are each contiguous to a market, while at the same time they are but little removed from off the main lines of road which intersect the goldfields, so that in the event of one market failing, the producer can readily avail himself of another. These three blocks will comprise something like fifteen thousand acres, which, with the present population, will be amply sufficient for all purposes ; however, should more be required, other five thousand-acre-areas can easily be aleniated from the run-holders—the Superintendent having the power, as soon as one half of any area shall have been occupied, to immediately proclaim another,

which course can be repeated over and over again till a rim is wholly absorbed. As near as possible the areas will be taken at the boundaries of runs, so as to interfere as little as possible with the acquired rights of the run-holders, and as such boundaries are usually defined by creeks, the most suitable areas can therebe selected. Looking at the matter fairly and dispassionately, we think the framers of the new Goldfields’ Act, as far as regards the land question, deserve credit for what they have done. '1 he act is very liberal in its provisions ; one or more blocks of land of fifty acres each can be selected upon payment of a fee of £lO for each block, to , cover the costs of survey—a lease for seven years will then be issued at a rental of ; half-a-crown per acre, the lessee having the right to purchase at one pound per acre any time during the currency of his lease, after he shall have been in occupation three years. Bona fide cultivation I will of course be insisted upon, and we presume that improvements- having been made to the value of twice the purchase i money, will be deemed sutHcientto meet the requirements of the A ct. Now that we have inducements for people to settle upon the lands the question suggests itself, what shall they grow 1 or what description of produce will find a market? At pi-esent there is no market for any description of cerials other than horse-feed or culinary vegetables, consequently without something else can be grown with profit, the operations of the agriculturist must be very . much circumscribed ; while the lands available for cultivation will be far more ! than is required ; facilities must therefore be given for the raising of other kinds of produce, possessing as we do, such admirable ground for the growth of grain. To induce cultivation, it is indispensible that a flour-mill should be established as it must not be expected that wheat will be grown till such times as the grower finds that he can get it ground. In this case we must adopt the maxim, that if Mahomet will not go to the mountain ; the mountain must go to Mahomet,” and . ° ’ I when it becomes known that a flour-mill i | will be in operation in the district, there will be no lack of persons growing the necessary corn for the mill to grind. The action taken by the people at the Lakes d istrict in establishing a flour-mill, has | caused many hundreds of acres of wheat to |be sown in that quarter this season, and j we see no reason why the same should not Ibe done here ; our business men arc quite las enterprising and foreseeing, and we believe that action only requires to be taken ,1a the matter to bring about a successful j : result.