Page 1 Advertisements Column 5

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 955, 30 July 1903, Page 1

Tho Premier speaks about the necessity of obtaining a largely increased population by means of immigrants of the farming class (says the Auckland Herald.) But what chance is there of doing so while all land titles are in this position ? And, moreover, when these immigrants came to New Zealand they would have to take chanoe in a ballot. Mr Kirkbride told of an old settler who had been farming in the Pahiatua district. He did well, Bold out, and went Home for a year. -He returned and found that he had to ballot. As he did not put in his sisters and his cousins and his aunts he was balloted out. Before be left the room he offered the man who had been successful in obtaining the allotment he was after £2OO on hiß good luck, but no business took place, as the man demanded £3OO, and perhaps got that sum from some other person, But surely this is the worst system of all. The ballot was to give the poor man a chance, but the poor man, when lucky, sells his bargain and goes in to the ballot again, and the well-to-do man gets the land. The land was no doubt worth the £2OO which (he settler offered the lucky man; probably it was worth the £3OO which he demanded. But ought not the colony to have had the £3OO ? The colony had bought the land, the choice pieces are merely materials for gambling, and enhanced prioes do not go to the oolony, but into the pockets of speculators. The colony is left with the poor portions of the land, and for these will have to lower the ronts. The Government abandoned the principle of putting the land up for sale, because the poorer class of settlers wero sometimes tempted to bid too high. But under the ballot system the land really gees to competition after all, only the Government have taken the most elaborate precautions'that the public (who own the land) shall receive no benefit whatever. A Scotsman asked, and is said to have received, a million- pounds, for the American rights of a patent pigskin bike- lyre. A traveller for walking- sticks has been dcing an immense business in Ashburton. The sticks are hollow, and ate not prohibitionists*