The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1884. New Settlements

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 1, 5 January 1884, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JANUARY 5, 1884. New Settlements

In our last issue we pointed out some of the facilities offered in the Manchester Block for new settlers, and on the same day we were advised by telegram that the Minister of Lands, the Hon. Mr Roixeston, intends to offer 25,000 or 80,000 acres of land at the back of Pihama and Otakehu for sale about the end of February, and shortly afterwards from 10,000 to 15,000 acres will be offered for lease near Opunake. Although the socalled " village settlements " have not proved an unmixed success, yet we think as they are only experimental, and have consequently not received a fair trial, the condemnation they have received at the hands of some papers in opposition to the Government is manifestly unjust. No one can accuse us of being blind followers of the present Ministry, or of approving any of their acts of policy without good and sufficient reason for so doing- — while on many occasions we have been unsparing in our criticisms on acts which we have deemed shortsighted^or against the common good of the colony — it is a matter of gratification to us to heartily approve of the plan adopted of throwing open waste lands of the Crown for sale and lease to bona fide settlers. A great deal has been made out of the fact that, in a certain settlement north of this, there were some seventy or eighty vacant tenements owing to a sudden decrease of population consequent upon the sudden failure of money supplies on the completion of public works which had been the means of causing a large cash expenditure. It does not appear to have been considered that the persons who failed or who -had to leave the settlement for want of work or means, were really not a part and parcel of the scheme as sketched out by the founders of such settlement. It was no doubt anticipated that a certain number of stores and hotels would be necessary for the convenience of settlers and travellers, limited or qualified by the number of people who elected to settle down on their land., But there was no limit or qualification. Hotels and stores multiplied far beyond the needs of the place, and for a while appeared to do remarkably well. Yet this prosperity was naturally ephemeral, because it was not the result of the produce of the land, but of public money and new capital of 'only limited extent being let loose. When the. day of reckoning came the bubble burst, and the sufferers blamed everyone and everything except .themselves and ! their acts for their misfortunes. The land or the settlers had nothing whatever to do with it. These remain quite as capable of producing splendid crops and grand stock as they did in the most apparently flourishing times. It is to be hoped that the experience thus gained will -act. as a deterrent to

other business men from "rushing" the proposed new settlements, and allow the natural laws of supply and demand to regulate commerce. We may expect, as on all previous occasions where land has been offerred for sale or lease on this coast, a large number of visitors from all parts of New Zealand, and even the Australian Colonies, to look at the land and discover its capabilities. As the acreage offerred is only limited, and consequently insufficent to supply the wants of all comers, we may fairly expect that the rich lands of the Manawatu and Oroua will attract the attention of many intending settlers, and induce them to cast in their lot with those already resident in these favored localities. This reason alone would be sufficient to obtain our approval of the action of the Government because we, as well as every part of the coast, must derive a direct benefit.