Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JAN. 13, 1891. Land Settlement

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 87, 13 January 1891, Page 2

Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JAN. 13, 1891. Land Settlement

• There appears some chance that the Government will be able to meet the extraordinary demand for land, suitable for small farms, which now obtains in this part of the colony. When -the Hon. G. F. Bichardson, the Minister for Lands, was in Wan ganui last week, he was waited on by a deputation from the local Chamber of Commerce, when one of the members drew his attention to the Kaitangi Whenua, Kaimauku, and the Bawheterou Government Blocks, containing nearly 130,000 acres, a considerable portion of which land sheds to the Waitotara River and its tributaries. The land is described as beiug of good soil, while the climate is warm and equable ; also, there are no engineering difficulties to overcome in making roads to open it up. The suggestion .made to the Minister to the effect that a bridle track should be first cut, and later when the land was taken up on perpetual lease, and as the rents accrued, some £800 or £ 1 000 could be expended in making a dray road, was not a practical one, or founded on experience. The land should first be opened up by roads, and then sold or leased, the cost of the roads being added to the capital value of the land. That, however, is merely a detail, which members of Chambers of. Commerce are not expected to know anything about. Their duty is to agitate, aud assist in the advancement of the port of vVangauuj by encouraging settlement on the spleadid country within such easy distance of them., The Minister asked the deputation to have their opinions and suggestions put iv writing and sent to him, in order that he might see if somothmg could be done in the direction indicated. It is to be hoped that the "Wanganui Chamber of Commerce , will not allow the matter to grow cold, but will pester and worry the Government until they have this very desiiable work completed, and the land covered with suiiliug homesteads.