The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, NOVKMBER 10th 1930. THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 November 1930, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, NOVKMBER 10th 1930. THE PRESENT AND FUTURE .

W mini Die lire,sen t haw iLw (|illu tilt calling lor lunch prompt attention, ji> is v, ell to pay son ll- attention to the future, the hopes tor which should brighten the present,. Wo have a notable heritage in our fair country, and in this purl where, we have elected to settle and work out our destiny, iy.,; owe it to uursdvu-; no less than to I4ii benefit of the country at large, to seek to make Westland a better and more prospering district. Westland has been liberally endowed by nature in many ways. The richness o,i it* mineral finds was the main ispring hiuWwJlg the set, tie,men I, of New Zealand half ;i, century ago. It oeems strange, to recall that while the gold ri;*s 1 less here and elsewhere in New /eal a lid were sPefi a. magnet in drawing 111 licit needed populat ion to the far-olf colony —a veritable outpost ol hhnpire—that it is other parts of the now greater Dominion which, enjoy the fuller fruits of the enhanced population. Had New Zealand to he content with a (slow growth by .way of seltleninet only its progress would lmvc beet) lar less notable than it ip. Yet here in Westland was a rich corner’of the country responsible for at-

trading 'thousands of people to the •early rushes. The magic of a gold rush has been the same all over the world, and the history of such, places ns too often identical. Those whV> seek the gold set about that business with .earnestness, and their task accomplished, depart with their treasure. Enormous sums in gold values were won in the early days to .insist in live development of New Zealand, but that wealth went quickly to other parts, and development took place more rapidly in other quarters of New Zealand, than in those localities wlk-re the treasure was won. In short, our district has not been developed as it might, nor has the- people stayed where the wealth was produced to help the district along. Where 'thousands once were camped, the numbers are now sadly decreased and the burden of development falls on fewer numbers. But a district such as this, with land which produces such fine forests, is surely worth more attention in the way of steady development. There are still great J’orents of Crown lands in Westland. Why are they not being settled? More of our country should bo cultivated. Here and there are pleasant farms indicating wiiut can lie done in the way of permanent settlement, but ill wide spaces between there is an emptiness of population. For the future, it is necessary to realise more shoujd be do no to settle people on the land. This is not a new theme, It has been suggested over and over again, but it needs to he repeated, because of tlio possibilities -ahead. Settlements are (possible here on lauds which are not high priced in the sense that other settled lands in various parts of the Dominion arc 1 . The Government has resolved and is in fact committed- to a definite land settlement policy. That -should he applied without delay to this district. But- to ensure attention it is necessary, it seems, to remind the authorities over and lover again of the obvious, and for that reason the- claims of Westland should lie emphasised in such a way that justice will be done, and a real effort made to promote settlement in this district where there are so many \spare spaces to 1111.