THE PROPOSED HARBOUR BLOCK ASSOCIATION.

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 82, 9 January 1892, Page 2

THE PROPOSED HARBOUR BLOCK ASSOCIATION.

TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE STAR. Sir — The desire to acquire a piece of land appears, at present, to be the ruling ambition of most men's hearts. It is beginning to be realised by the dullest understandings that the amount of land available for settlement is extremely limited in extent, therefore when a block of land is thrown open for selection it is rushed not only by those requiring it for their own immediate uses, but by men anxious to secure something for their children before it is too late. For men animated by this laudable desire the Association scheme offers special attractions, because it allows a man to take up as many sections as he has children. The Harbor Block Association will differ materially from the previous associations formed in this district insomuch the land as it is already surveyed, whereas the others were formed to take up practically unkuown country. This block, being surveyed, gives intending members a fair opportunity of knowing what they are investing their capital in. It differs from the other bloclt3, also, in the varying nature of the quality and position of the sections. An association is really only a lottery legalised by Parliament, for in no part of the North Island is there to be found a block of ten thousand acres of uniform quality or value throughout. In almost every association formed some men have acquired land at half its real value, whilst others, less fortunate, haye to pay twice the worth of their sections. It is generally understood by the uninitiated that the land is fairly balloted for, every subscriber drawing a ticket revealing the number of his section. This is not altogether the fact as a committee draws the tickets and allots the sections. Another important item to be considered, and which heavily handicaps the individual subscriber in a block like this, which cannot be but characterised as irregular in quality, is the arrangement by which members of a family may select sections adjoining, notwithstanding the supposed ballot system. Now, on the Pohangina river side there are some dozen sections worth at least twice as much as any of the others. Well, we will suppose six of a family are members ; one of them draws one of these sections, the rest of his family will drop in round him and thus perhaps two families may succeed in possessing themselves of all the most valuable portion of the block. This sj stem of allowing members of a family to select sections adjoining, if the thing is to be worked fair, must be dropped. I would also call the attention of subscribers to the mode of ballot as it is generally conducted, that is, by the committee in a private room, all other members being excluded. This is not as it should be. Eyery member has a perfect right to be present at the drawing if he pleases. Far be it from me to cavil at or cast doubts as to the honesty and sincerity of the motives influencing the promoters of this association. Indeed for the present prosperity of this thriving district we are greatly jndebtod to the untiring and almost dfsipfcerest^G*! activity of the gentlemen most actjye in jts promotion, but, nevertheless, investors may well take a lesson by past experiences. These past experiences, point ou£ the undenjable fact that the promoters of associations, and their friends, gpj; the pick of the land, and the outsiders get the leavings, I am, &c. Joseph G. Browne.