The Feilding Settlement

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 59, 4 November 1890, Page 4

The Feilding Settlement

(Continued from last issue). Three weeks afterwards the Salisbury arrived with 80 more, and ten days later the Ocean Mail with 120, making a total of 233, including children. Besides these, the ship Woodlark sailed last December with about 60 Feilding immigrants, and may be expected to arrive shortly. It is anticipated that there will afterwards be a slight lull in the stream of immigration, which will afford leisure for completing the settlement of those already on the ground ; but after a short interval the flow will be resumed. I have already mentioned that a substantial weatherboard store has been erected, and this is to be immediately enlarged. A temporary residence has bees erected for Mr Halcombe; Mr Roe, of Palmerston, is putting up as accommodation-house; and many substantial whares have been built for the settlers. Mr Bull has the machinery for a sawmill on a native reserve on the Oroua, where there is a plentiful supply of excellent timber. The necessary plant and machinery for a steam sawmill and sash and door factory, to be established by the Corporation, is expected by the Woodlark. Mr Lethbridge of Wanganui, has recently purchased an extensive run near the Manchester Block, which be is now stocking. Education is also being attended to. There are already some sixty children at the township of Feilding, and arrangements have been entered into for the erection of a schoolhouse; the funds being provided by the Board of Education, largely aided from the funds of the Emigrants and Colonists' Aid Corporation. The township of Feilding is the centre of operations. It is one mile square, and contains reserves for educational and religious purposes, and there are several reserves for public recreation. The township is laid off in quarter-acre, half-acre, and acre sections, the area of the sections increasing from the centre outwards. On the boundary Feilding, sections are laid off from 15 to 100 acres. The price of the quarter-acre section is at payment of L10 to L25, according to quality and situation. It is proposed to survey two other townships, each one a mile square, at intervals of 10 miles on the railway line; and around those suburban and country sections, according to requirements and the nature of the soil. In making out the scheme of settlement the Corporation will devote much attention to the development of a large timber trade. Roads will be constructed between the townships, and main lines of road of tramways will be made through the block. A tramway eight miles in length will be shortly commenced from the south to north boundary, and lateral lines of tramway or road will be extended into the forest. I learn from Mr Halcombe that the Corporation intends to expand at the rate of L10,000 per annum for the next five years in the formation of those roads and tramways. It is in consequence of this proposed expenditure and the increased value it will give to the land, that the price has been fixed at L per acre. The streets of the Feilding township are named after the \directors of the Corporation and distinguished men of Great Britain. Kimbolton road is named after the estate of the Duke of Manchester, there are also South, East and West Streets, on the boundaries; and in the township, Warwick, Manchester, Weld, Stafford,, Russell, Montague, Gladstone, Eyre, Fergusson, Bowen, Hobson, Grey, Fitzroy, Monmouth, Lytton, King, and Queen Streets. At present the Corporation does not appear to be anxious to sell its land is large quantities to other than bone fide residents on the block. The intention to dispose of about 20,000 acres annually as alternate blocks, occupied by the immigrants and the land offered to the general public, will include Strenuous efforts are being made to keep out the curse of intemperance. The immigrants undertake to sign a memorial against the establishment of any publichouse with a mile of the block. The tax-gatherer has already been present at Feilding, the Corporation having paid to the Manawatu Road Board the sum of L381 as highway rates, in addition to further sum of L161 education rates. Considering that the Corporation has only recently entered upon its land, that it has been under heavy preliminary expenses, and that it proposes to expend large annual sums in constructing its own internal lines of communication through the block, I cannot help thinking that the Manawatu Road Board has been greedy and inconsiderate in subjecting the Corporation to so heavy a tax at this early period, and that if it does not disgorge the whole or a considerable portion of the money the Corporation will be justified in agitating to have the Manchester Block formed into a separate district. A post-office is an immediate necessity at Feilding, and telegraph station will no doubt shortly follow. The population of Feilding is at present industrious, sober, and orderly, so that a police force is unnecessary ; but Messrs Halcombe and Stewart being Justices of the Peace, can deal with any case of emergency. I should not be justified in concluding this report without noticing the untiring energy and exertions of Mr Halcombe. Within five weeks he has had to locate over 100 immigrants, to provide for their wants, to organize a system of supply, to initiate public works, to superintend the practical working out of numberless details, and all this with little or no assistance I can bear testimony to his careful forethought and prudence, his great energy and perseverance. From daylight till dark he is hard at work issuing instructions, examining maps deciding disputes as to boundaries, visiting and instructing working parties, and generally looking to the comfort of the immigrants , and the progress of the works. The selection of the sites of townships, direction of roads and tramways, sites of bridges and other public works, the conveyance of materials and provisions, erection of houses, and so forth, have demanded the utmost care, forethought, and energy, with a power of organization which Mr Halcombe possesses in no ordinary degee. His work is generally protracted far into the night, after busy toilers have been long at rest. He is a general favourite with the immigrants. His manner of dealing with them is a happy mixture of firmness and kindly solicitude, and in all difficulties he is ever at hand to cheer and encourage the faint-hearted. During the four day I spent rambling over the Feilding Block, I heard not a single complaint, and on the contrary, many expressions of gratitude towards Mr Halcombe and the Corporation. I may say, in conclusion, that from all appearances the experiment of the Emigrants and Colonists Aid Corporation has every prospect of proving a great colonizing and financial success, and this will be principally due to Mr Halcombe himself. [THE END]