The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1908. THE TE ARAI BALLOT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2140, 16 March 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. MONDAY, MARCH 16, 1908. THE TE ARAI BALLOT.

For a Government which profosses to exist in the interests of tho small settler, that is, the man with little or no capital, but a laudable dcsiro to become ..i producer, tho Administration headed by Sir Joseph Ward lias a* most peculiar method of carrying out its mission. At tho timo when xc Arai was taken, and tho Compensation Court awarded the former owner £IOG,OOO, we referred to the decision ns n case of confiscation pure and simple, ns competent witnesses had given evidence that the value was considerably above that amount. At the same time we mentioned that as the case was concluded the only consolation left was in, the fact that tho new settlers in taking up allotments would reap the benefit of tho excellent bargain tho State had made for itself. Now, however, it appears that the Government lias entirely different ideas on tho matter. For an estato that cost £106,000, tho Government is asking over £120,000, although since the purchaso was made, tho fall in the prices of both wool and pelts, and the lack of animation in the frozen mutton market, have all had a depressing effect on land values. Unless there are some facts in connection with this matter that arc not apparent on the surface, it would seem to be the grossest injustice that tho prospective settlers for To Arai should be compelled to pay rent- on a valuation that, has been increased by £14,000, 'although .the stato of the London markets has decreased its re-venue-producing capabilities. If this is the, way the Government heaps the small settler, then may ho well ask to be saved from his friends. He as presumably without capital, or at any rate with very little, yet he is expected to. pay nine mouths’ rent in 'advance, as well as expend a substantial amount in improvements within twelve months from the time of his taking possession. What wonder that those who have been employed on tho ostato, and those who arc in the immediate vicinity, have declared that they will not be included amongst the applicants! Those men know what the estate will carry, and they know that under the existing conditions • the successful applicant would, figuratively speaking, have his nose to tho grindstone from the moment he set foot on the land as a iState tenant. Soctions that are suitable for dairying" will probably prove more attractive, but it must be remembered that unless tho Government is prepared to do very much more for dairying in ibis district in the future than it has do no in tho past, there will bo little return in that industry. As we have pointed out before, dairying will never amount to much in Poverty Bay until there are satisfactory arlangemcnts made for grading tho butter at the port of exit. Wo have no doubt that there will bo a largo number of applicants for To Arai sections, and, provided that tho market for wool and pelts rises again, there will probably prove to bo a good living on it for those who draw the winning numbers at tho ballot, but at present vailues, it seems very likely that they will simply be working for the Government as Stato vassals, with little prospect of ever doing more than pay each half year’s rent as it falls due. There may, of course, be a sound reason why the Government should attempt to exact from its tenants interest on £120,000 for a property that only cost £106,000, and we shall bo exceedingly interested to hear what it is.