THE LAND.

Evening Star, Issue 3483, 22 April 1874, Page 3

THE LAND.

The * Dunstan. *1 im* s’ mentions that “ a movement is afoot just now to have a block of 2,500 acres of land on the west bank of the Molyneux, on Karnsclengh station, thrown open for selection under the deferred payment system. The opponents to a block being thrown open in this locality, and of whom there are not a few, aver there is not 100 acres fit for agricultural purposes. The applicants bold that they do not seek opinion as to the quality. They say : we are prepared to take up the land, and that should end all further questions. Our opinion is decidedly on the side of the applicants; if they aie willing to take up the land, the responsibility rests with them, and no one, from any motive, should be allowed to interfere with their choice. For agriculture or not, the land has been applied for, and we think their request should be complied with.”

A Naseby telegram, dated Monday, says that there were three or four applications for each surveyed section of the block at Hyde, open on deferred payments. ’ . A large number of strangers were in InvercargiT on Monday to apply for land on M‘Nab’s run and to attend the sale of sections at Waipabi and Glenkenich districts. Ninety-nine applications were received on deferred payment for a block on M‘Nab’s run. Thirteen sections at Waipahi and Glenkenich realized L 4,100, or an average of about 44s per acre. The lowest price was 255; the highest, L 3 1 Is. The Otago and Southland Investment Company bought all sections with the exception of one, which fell to a Mr Roberts. ■

Several of the parties who went from the Taieri to examine the blocks to be opened on M’Nab’s run, Mataura, on Monday, under the system of deferred payments have re turned thoroughly disgusted. They corroborate the opinion of our Mataura correspondent in his letter published in our issue of the 27th March as to the character of the blocks, being the moat inferior that could have been selected on that gentleman’s run. Notwithstanding such being the case, they seem to think that it may be all applied ferae they were assured by Mr Calder that he must have passed at the Mataura at least from 300 to 350 persons on their way to examine the blocks—such appears to be the anxiety of people to obtain land to settle upon. Would the Secretary of Lands publish the report of some reliable official as to the quality of the blocks selectedoa M'Nah’s run as compared with the test of the run, as was done in the case of the land at Miller’s Plat? We throw down the challenge. ‘Bruce Herald.’ 6