MR. ARKWRIGHT AND THE MAN CHESTER BKLOC.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 7, 1 July 1890, Page 2

MR. ARKWRIGHT AND THE MAN CHESTER BKLOC.

TO'THR EDITOK OF THE STAJU f w Sie,—Kindly allow me jpace in yenf ' valued columns for a few remark! re Mr Arkwright's recent speech at Marton. It is not my intention to disagree with that gentleman's views and ideas now, but to contradict (or perhaps I had better say correct) an erroneous impression, which -^emW^pVobJibly be obtained by most of Mr Arkwright's and your readers,, in reference to flie. settlement of the Manchester Block. M* Arkwright said that though Mr Macarthur" might-^odk with legitimate pride upon the success of 4 bu scheme as far.as the Corporation was concerned, he (Mr Arkwright) - doubted whether that satisfaction was shared by the Bettlera. Continuing, he said many of them had been attracted by the bait of three years' without interest, but they were beginning to think that they hafl paid a high price for the land and some of them had to work hard to pay the heavy rates and interest on their mortgages- 5 * Now, with respect to Mr Arkwright's doubts as to the satisfaction of the settlers,' I can only say that if he were to travel over the whole of the Block, he would not find half-a-dozen dissatisfied land occupiers.- , Of course there are a good many whojialk about the price .of the land being' too mg]y, although they are making eight or-nine percent, upon the value of their labour and capital, off it, and I do not think that this class of people would be satisfied even ii they got the land given to them. As for the heavy rates and| interest which Mr Arkwright talks about, I do not see that the rates, are any heavier here than in any other part ot the colony, and the interest iB just as light as anywhere. With regard to the settlers^hav-: ing to work hard to pay .for their farms, rates, interest, &0., does Mr Arkwright suppose that when a man takes a piece of ! he is to take things easy for the rest J of his life ? He may think so, but I doj not. When a working man takes up a section he expects ,to work hard to make the place his own. This is what the settlers on the Manchester Block are new doing, and owing to Mr Macarthur's. liberal schemes they are nearly good returns off their holdings ana getting in a fair way towards making tha- land their own.—l am, &c., . » a ' •;'•.. ■■"■ Oira oFTiaif. |