The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4032, 28 January 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 1876.

A vast amount of nonsense has been talked and written about the Piako Swamp, the sale of which has been roundly declared to have been illegal and unfairly made to some favored parties at much less, than its actual value. We have now before us the report and evidence of the committee to which this interesting subject was referred by the Assembly, and it is thereby placed beyond contradiction that the allegations put forth by the Provincialists are entirely foundationless. Of that committee, be it remembered, both Sir Georoe Grey and Mr Macandrew were members, and .in the report, to the terms of which they agreed, we find it stated that— The Piako Swamp is a ’ow-lying swamp, a considerable portion of which, is overflowed by the . flood waters of the Waikato River, which, has the additional effect of backing np the local water of otherand- higher portions of the swamp. . And, further on, it is declared that, owing to the peculiar position and conformation of this swamp, “it could only be drained by a comprehensive and; expensive system of drainage.” These statements are fully supported by the evidence of professional witnesses and others. Thus Major Heaphy says ;—,. . When the Waikato has been two or three days in flood, its waters will ran back)along some of its ■■tributaries, and fill these swamps which act as reservoirs, and these floods continue for several days. And Mr O’Meara, the surveyor, who was employed to lay out the adjacent lands for the military settlers, thus describes the swamp:— ’ - ‘ - I have seen quite a mile of it under water up to one's middle. . . . I set no value on it, “It is only people with great means who could purchase a block dike this, and I do not think it mill pay when the drainage is' completed When the drainage rests there the land will fall, and then be subject to these floods more than it is now. ; . . iWe took all the good land we could get when butveying for the.military settlements,;, in feet, some of the allotments were condemned, and' I got into bad favour with the military, who would not take them. i . ~ But there are sure to be some who will ' refuse to believe the truth, or who will persistently ignore it, because of the position, .relatively of these witnesses to:the Government. There is no good reason why they should, but the race of Thomas of Didymus is npt yet extinct. What will these persons say to the evidence of Mr William Archibald Murray— the elect of Bruce ? They must admit that he, at least, is not amenable to Governmental influences. And this is what Mr William Archibald Murray told the Committee about the Piako Swamp ; Mr W. A. Mdheat: In 1872 I was told that I could have bought it at 5a per acre., It looked to me a vast waste of rushes as far as the eye could reach. I think 5s an acre was a fair value for it. The Chairman .- You believe the Government got a fair price for the land when -they got 5s per acre for it ?—Mr Murray : Yos. Thq Chairman : Have you any idea what it will ultimately coat to complete' these drainage operations and road works ?—Mr Murray :It is impossible to say; but I think. it will take a considerable sum yet. The Chairman ; Do you think the 2s 6d per acre allowed by the Government will cover the expense ? —Mr Mubbay : I do not. The Chairman : Do you tliink it will take os much again ?—Mr Murray : I believe it will. The Chairman : In that case, if your judgment is correct, the land will have cost tne company 7s 6d per acre.—Mr Murray ; Yes. Douglas and Walker’s swamp, which was sold by the Govern?, meut upon land scrip to equal 3s ttd'tb 'Mr Faemßr; 1 and bought from him afterwards by Douglas and Walker acre, wan. drained by the G over a'meat road made through it'afterwards. And when pressed for au opinion as, to whether the land was fitted for the settlement of a number of “poor families,” such as the enthusiastic Grey expressed his desire to see located iu,this “Dismal Swamp,” Mr Murray plainly and honestly said : It would have been of little value if taken up by small settlers . . ... At all events, it; will be three years’from the commensal op of the improve.ments before different portions are capable of being turned to use. I have heard that it is the intention of the company, os soon' a 8; they haye completed a* certain poriipn’of the drainage Works, tttdut- up this property into small blocks, and sell them upon determed payments.-'* - . i'n u r •

Now, we ask, what becomes of all the reckless assertions—“the unmitigated abuse —the calumnious reproaches that have been showered upon the. Government about this business ? It is very clear that no better mode of rendering' the land ,! aVailable' bar settlement could have\been *adopted. The .military settlers hot l&ve it as a gift } better land iiLthe Hdoinity- haft; been sow. by private parties at.,3s per .acfe, and resold at ssi after the Government, af treat expend haddjrainpd .it by the formation of a road'} it had been for year Sin the m«ket,<hhd ib one was hardly enougfi't6 as Mr Murray frankly a^nts^i£ ! sOTll : cost the E resent proprietors doubtesthe sum allowed y the Government to complete'“i;he road works, the formation of which is a part, of the bargain. All these facts must have been known to Sir Geobob Grey, to Mr MACAN»BBVt, .and,rto..others oLtheir party. Yet, how, and with what profundity of' vituperation, have they not spoken of this matter to the public ? How, in fact, has Mr Murray himself explained thin business to his confiding constituents? Arid in what manner does he propose to reconcile the statements the politician, with those of Mußßkvi'the withess? We leave these, gentlemen to make such answer as they may * and : wb refraifi frbm the expression of our bWn opinioh on the matter, because we deem comment unnecessary. The facts are now before the nhblib, and ’to them, as to a jury, we leave the deliverance of a verdict; V ■.