THE KINOHAKU VILLAGE SETTLEMENT.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 276, 14 September 1906, Page 3

THE KINOHAKU VILLAGE SETTLEMENT.

(to THE EDITOB.) Sib, —Your caustic remarks re the Commissioners' report on the above settlement, though in good faith, are a bit sjvurj. The tours of the Com missioner and his satellites, the Minister of Lands (who threatens to arrive here in January next), together with the Chief Engineer or Roads, are all charged up against us as expenses on road work, and as one of those interested I will say that not a single one of them have the foggiest notion (to quote a learned friend), as to where most of us ore—the Whakapirau Vai ley. We have tried for a long time to ascertain what are the advantages of being in a village settlement, but as far as we can make out the only thing is to find what we ean not do, r.g., good settlers cannot buy out wasters ; we cannot get the semblance of a road; we cannot utilise our thirds opposite our sections and thus get paid for falling and clearing our road line so as to enable us to ifenee ; we cannot get in building materials ; the first two miles of road (we allow the Commissioner to call it thus) cost £6B2—about 60 per cent more than if it were through others who are not villagers ; our only outlet is through a proprietory townflhip, with sections at a prohibitory price, that should a storekeeper settle there the cost of goods must necessarily be of such a rate that 10 per Cent, must be added for rental. -If you, Mr Editor, can find any advantages in being a villager .please let us knoWi as it might be a valuable asset, and we want a few in order to find out where our unearned increment comes from.—Yours, etc.,