OTAMA LAND QUESTION. « .

Mataura Ensign, Volume V, Issue 224, 26 January 1883, Page 2

OTAMA LAND QUESTION.

PUBLIC MEETING. A well attended meeting was held at Morris' Hall, Chatton, on Wednesday evening to further consider matters relating to the withdrawal from settlement of 10,500 acres in the Otama district, now in the hands o* the Otagd School Commissioners Mr Morris was voted to the ohair and explained that correspondence and a traoing had been received from the Otago School Commissioners and that a special meeting of the Commissioners would be held to consider the subject of leasing 10,500 acres known as Run 193 a. The date of the meeting had been fixed for the 26th inst., when it was expected Mr Eolleston, who was inspecting the land, would be present. The correspondence further went to show that only part of the land originally reserved from the run for settlement was now being offered for run lease, and that 3,200 acres on Mc'Nab's run as well as blocks 7, 8, and 9, and a block to the left of the Waikaka Creek had been reserved for settlement. From the letters Mr Macandrew (the secretary) seemed to think the settlers were under a missapprehension with regard to Run 193 a. but if any present chose to inspect the. traoing they would find that there was no mistake about the matter. The traoing showed .dearly that Run 193 a. contained 10,500 acres, and it was Ithis block of 10,500 acres that they desired to see opened for settlement. It was necessary that the deputation appointed to interview the Commissioners . should thoroughly understand the matter and be woll posted up in every fact. Mr Lamb thought the district was unan* imous in desiring to have the 10,500 known as Ron 193 a, opened for settlement ; that had been clearly expressed at the last meeting. Seeing that was so he thought it the duty of the deputation to go iv for the settlement of the land ar d if the 10,500 acres were not to be thrown open they should use their best endeavors to get the block surveyed into smaller sections. Mr J. Milne said they should try to get the land surveyed into small holdings where t .'was good agricultural land, and, where broken, it might be surveyed into .larger block?. The Ohairman thought it was doubtful if 200 acres in some parts of the block would be sufficient for a man to settle upon. There were 3,000 acres to the north-east of the .Otama station which be thought should be surveyed into 200 acre seotions because that was tirst-class agricultural land, but in some places 500 acre and 320 acre sections would not be too large. Mr Collins thought land for combination farming would meet the views of the majori ity. He was not in favor of limiting the area of holdings : let a man have as much as be could work. He was not in favor of giving a man : more land than he could cultivate, for, even :if it were only a 200 acre section and the : holder incapable of propeily farming it, that I man was as much a monopolist an the man j who took up 10,000 acres, ? ; Mr Lamb thought they should ' first de- ! cide whether this block of 10,500 acres was required for settlement ; they could discuss; : other matters afterwards. : Mr Marshall proposed and Mr Patterson seconded, that in the opinion of .this meeting entire- bjock, opnsißting of^ 10,500 acres I should be reservedfor settleme^.""rCa»iedr : Mr Lamb thought it would be a good thing for the meeting to express an opinion as to the desirableness of having the land sutveyed and placed in the market at Qnpej' before the winter set in. Mr Pemble proposed and Mr ' Gray seconded, that the deputation request, the Commissioners to have , the land surveyed and put in the market at once. Carried. A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings. ' ' "' '