Ashurst Notes

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 123, 9 April 1891, Page 3

Ashurst Notes

OUR .'OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ffl, short time.smc'e - we formed an Ash TOst .Small Farm Association, with 51 members, and selected a block of lan< sufficient to give 200 acres each, situati •on the Coal Creek and Pohangina rivers We were astonished to find that the nev regulations, to which we were referred bi the Minister, took, away the right of pur -chase. In common with the Palinerstor Small Farm Associations we, decline tc take ixp land on the conditions the, present Ministry are trying to force on' the couh try. We are preparing a petition to ih Minister 1 of liandsaskingfor the right oi purchase, and, when fully signed it will be handed tp Mr Macarthur, .who already knows our feelings on this important subject. -It is .the hope of acquiring freehold which, can be hande'i down to thjir children, that brings most lifen out from the 'old country. "~They> leave behind many* a comfort, but do so willingly when they see a chance, after a, few years-roughing it, that a home-of their own can be made. Do you think, that' ihe pioneers of our bush districts would go through the privations and hardships of first settlers if the only outcome of it was a valuation of improvements at the 1 end of 30 years ? I don't. -House and fences would then be nearly worn' out! The outgoing tenants would not get much value for them. In ?he meantime, till Parliament meets, all land settlement is stopped. ■ *