Oparau.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 365, 12 June 1908, Page 2

Oparau.

(FROM OUR OWX C <RREB;> XDXWT.) The ravage of th« b'g fi e ■ra ?HU to be seen. A trip from Oparau to Mr A. or from Opa.au to Mr T. Soott’>’, gives a good idn the big extra expense tho o* this part have had to shell oh ilia fall. Many farmers are s ill re ing burned fence*?. building have not been started. The roads are better than ever be* fore at this season, but of c > use th y are not real roads—only apology a • f a nondescript make-’em-anywh&rs ordet. We have done all we could to get bet ter roads from the Government. If the Government even remitted tbe money due for the purchase of our sections, and did aw ,y with all reato t we could then make the road j ourselves, as other countries do where there are no restrictions in land tenure. The land belongs to the people who improve it, and if a man and his family const out back here and improve their holdings they should’havc the land they improve free. Mr Gheesman and a master builder from Wellington have come to Oparau to build Dr K. Wallace Mackenzie’s house, arrange bush felling, etc. Both are desirous of settling in this district* The trouble is no land ia available for starters, Government and native land being indefinately tied up while intending settlers go to Canada and Queensland. When the farmers have control of our law £shop there should bt land for all who desire to settle.

Dr Mackenzie intends io settle at Oparau at an early date, the principal attraction being the mild healthy climate.

In a few more years all available land round Oparau will be grassed and productive.