The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1883. FENCING TOWN SECTIONS.

Feilding Star, Volume III, Issue 78, 13 March 1883, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1883. FENCING TOWN SECTIONS.

* The motion of Councillor Thompson, at the last, sitting* of tlie Borough Council, to tbe effect (hat the Mayor be instructed to obtain information re the Council's authority to compel the fencing uf town sections, has our hearty approval. We have already had something to say on this subject, and will now continue our observations in support. We presume thaf it was absolutely necessary, in orde:' to comply with the rules of business in the Council, that such a resolution should have been passed, but, we would have imagined that the po\v«r exercised by the Borough Council of Palmerston could he exercised by th" Borough Council of Feilding without special legislation. We wiil now endeavor to point out a lew of the benefits that will ba derived by the residents in the Borough by following the course proposed. The appearance of the township will be materially improved, and that not at the expense of the residents, but at cost of those curses to new settlements — the absentees. These persons will be forced to dispose of their sections at a in derate charga in order to escape the extra costs for holding them. These people strongly object to laying out money on their land : it is against their principles. By such forced sales many residents who are compelled to be leaseholders wil. be able to change their condition into that ot freeholders, to the benefit of themselves and of the Borough. At present scores of sections that were purchased by speculators at the beginning of the settenient are yet lying idle. The prices asked for them are absurdly high — so high in fact, that they are prohibitive. The speculator does not care because he can afford to hold on, so long as the rates do not amount to more than 2 or Jl per ceot. on the purchase money. A rapid change will, however, be effected, if a call of £5 or £10 per section is made for fencing. A holder ! ol one or twenty sections would find this a serious charge to meet, and would be inclined to surrender his ownership at a reasonable advance, and make room for a bona fide settler to establish a home. The day is not far distant when all new settlements will be so laid out that a residential title will only be granted to land. Otherwise it will be difficult for settlers to be found who are foolish enough to waste their best energies in founding a city or Borough, when an unjust share of the results is claimed and received by a class of men who live upon the labors of others, without any corresponding outlay on their part. In conclusion, we trust that the Mayor will use e^ery just means to carry out the spirit of the resolution, by carrying out its object to the end. By so doing, he, in con junction with the other members of the Feilding Borough Council, will earn the esteem and gratitude ot their fellow ratepayers and settlers.