Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addiclus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1872.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1345, 10 June 1872, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times. Nullius addiclus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, JUNE 10, 1872.

Jn the disposal of the waste lands of the Colony, there are two objects to be kept in vjew by the Government—first, the settlement and occupation of the country; and, secondly, the raising of a fund for surveying and opening up facilities of communication. These ob ieets are to a certain extent antagonistic, for while the first U favored by a price that may be merely nominal, the second is only to be accomplished by a moderately high rate. Caution, however, nnisL be exercised that the rate be not so high as to discourage purchase m\d settlement, because in that case both objects will bo effectually defeated. During the discussion on the subject in the Provincial Council on Friday afternoon, reference was made to Mr. Gibbon Wakefield's theory of " a sufficient price." This theory, however, did not mean a price sufficient to form a. fund for opening up the country, but one that would be sufficient to keep the wording wan from becoming a land owner too soon. Jt was, in fact, a scheme to keep the lands of the Colony in the hands of capitalists, and ensure a supply of labor. The scheme wa* not found to answer, as it counteracted the main object of colonization, which was ,-ettloment; and wo believe one of the wises.t acts of the Wellington Govern-

ment was that of throwing open tho country for settlement at the low price of 10s per acre. Kow, however, that the system of deferred payments is to brought into operation, a new element is introduced, and it docs not follow tJiat under the new system the price should remain as beforo.

The purchaser under the old system had one great difficulty to contend with which the new corner will be free from —chat is selection. To seek and find an eligible piece of land often involved a great deal of trouble, and (especially in unsurreyod localities) considerable difficulty in delining recognisable boundaries. Under the new plan the work of selection will be already done, the blocks of land coming under the Act being set apart by the Superintendent for the special purpose of agricultural settlement. In fixing a higher price on such lands, the svsietn hitherto adopted will not be departed from, as in cases where land has been surveyed and laid out in blocks ior special settle ment, an advanced price has generally been placed upon it. We see, however, one objection to the riasicg of the price of land under present circumstances. The Agent-General and the several other immigration agents now at the antipodes will without doubt enumerate amongst the advantages offered by this Province, the price at which land can be obtained, and it may bo said that if they, on their arrival here, find that such price has been increased, they will have ground of complaint of a breach of faith with them. If, however, the new arrangements apply only to land set apart by the Superintendent, and the old regulations remain in force in respect to alt other lands —so that immi grants, if so disposed, can select and settle elsewhere in the Province —that objection will not apply. We are not, therefore, disposed to cavil at the proposal made by his Honor the Superintendent to modify the existing arrangements in respect to the specially selected lands to be sold under a sy.-tem of deferred payments, nor to question the wisdom of the Council in fixing the rate at between 5s and 40s per acre.