THEComicil was a httle reluctant to deal with the Hundreds proposals yesterday, and the convenient excuse was available that the printed details of boundaries Wtre not in circulation, although, as Mr Reid pointed out, honorable members could arrive with more certainty at the boundaries by the accurate tracings as shewn on the map. It unfortunately happens that the beat land in the Province lies very much together, and it always appears to those who are injured by the opening of land that a dead set is made at their runs because block after block is asked for in the same locality. We are not sure that this is not more caused py the fact that the more our lands are looked mto the better they appear to be, and naturally where they are settled the immediate vicinities ary found to be very good, and, perhaps, when compared with less known areas, are overrated. We hardly understand the Provincial Secretary s tone almost ef complaint that—somehow or other, and doubtless the feeling was laudable, every person regarded the district in which he resided as being the very bestm the Province; and if he wanted aore land ho was loth to leave his locality.” Could any such general feeling be more beneficial to the country 7 It is the reverse of satisfactory to see settlements or townships that do not show symptoms of diffusion; while, perhaps, nothing can be more satisfactory than to see a real de sire on the part of residents in such districts as Kyeburn to take up land in their locality. So tar, the rule on the goldfields has been when surface gold workings are exhausted for the miners to leave—a great number going to Australia, me tendency beginning to be shown of a desire t» remain in the localities in which they reside is more than laudable, and should be encouraged to the greatest extent. The debate on the Government propositions will be taken at to-day’s sitting. TTponthe resultof the Hundreds proposals depends the area to be chosen for deferred payment blocks. Last year the area taken upon such blocks has been sufficient to enable 30,000 acres more to be opened this year on the same system. It is the fashion to run down deferred payments—to say they have failed. The truth is, while great care is still needed to administer the system, it cannot be said to be a failure. Bona fide settlers, who take advantage of the graduated payments, are not m a position to fence and break up the whole of their areas immediately they are in possession of an interim certificate; net probably would such a course be the best way of making the homesteads permanent. As a rule, areas, the whole of which are at once broken up and cultivated, are intended for artificial grazing farms at the earliest possible moment, while the permanent cultivator depends upon a system of graduated rotation. It is absurd to say the system has failed because in a little better than six months the allotments taken IS ma I ? i y them in interior and remote districts—have not been already converted into smiling homesteads.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18750512.2.7
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Evening Star, Issue 3811, 12 May 1875, Page 2
Word count
Tapeke kupu
528Untitled Evening Star, Issue 3811, 12 May 1875, Page 2
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.