Inaccessible Land.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 253, 6 April 1906, Page 2

Inaccessible Land.

A SETTLER'S PLEA. ‘ WAIKATO TIMES, j There appeared before the Auckland Crown Lands Bodrd on Thursday the bolder of a section of land od the coast below Kiwhia, who is also an Auckland solicitor. He applied to the Board for rebate of rent on account of 4naocSsBibi|ity qI Ifffid. He stated that it coat him some '£l6 Recently to visit the land. He believed was very good, but it was extremely' difficult of access.

The Commissioner of Grown Lands (Mt J. Mackenzie) said tbe members of the Board who had toured the district recently bad ridden to and inspected this particular section. Settlers in tbe locality had spakeo very strongly about people being allowed to take up land and held it without doing anything to it. No improvements had been effected at all upon the section under consideration. If anything, there was less excuse for this state of things in the cise of this applicant than his neighbours. It was, of course, admitted that the section was accessible only by pack-horses, but there was nothing to hinder improvements being effected. Other settlers were clearing and sowing grass and grizing cattle. Mr Greenslade, M.H.R., said that lo pack grass seed into the section would c :st £l6 a ton.

Tbe Commissioner : Yes, but the point is that neighbouring settlers are doing it, and effecting improvements. Questioned by members, the applicant admitted that he did not intend to go qpon tbe land himself, but wanted to place his brother. He did not see the land before he applied for it. Mr Greenslade sai(Ljhe applicant had-made a and should. b& met to some extent"by th6^3^ii:d.» --

Messrs Greenslade, Renshaw and Armstrong voting for the reduction, it was carried.

The Commissioner: If a farmer had taken up the land be would have been living on it now. Of course, the applicant was perfectly honest and straightforward about tbe matter, in saying that his brother and not himself was to reside on the land. I am quite sure if any-member of the Boards bad taken up that laud he would have found a way of doing something with it.

[Surely this is appalling to the struggling settler, that a town pavementaristocrat should receive benefits which are denied to him in the shape of rebate in rents or roads. Confiscation stares him in the face unless improvements to tbe extent of 20 per cent, are done at the end of the second year. This man has visited his section at a cost of £l6. What about men with their wives and children (some of them born there) who have been struggling to live and improve their sections for six or more years in the immediate vicinity without roads ?]