The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 31, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 1063, 31 October 1911, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Tuesday, October 31, 1911. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

A petition was recently circulated and signed by leading local citizens calling upon the Mayor to convene a public meeting to discuss the question of closer settlement near Foxton, Owing to other attractions, the earliest date available was to-night, and the meeting will be held iu one ot the rooms in the Coronation Town Hall. It is to be hoped that every person who signed the petition will put iu an appearance, as the question ot closer settlement both 01 native and other lauds in this district, is ot the utmost importance to Foxton. There are thousands of acres ot laud not producing a fraction ol what it is capable of doing it and cut up into suuable areas. Unless local people are prepared to take a hand in this matter the present unsatisfactory state of things—at least so rar as the town is concerned —will continue. We are well within the mark when we say that between Himataugi and the Shannon bridge at least three hundred families could be profitably placed on the laud now owned or leased by a lew. Do townspeople ever think what this would mean to Foxton? Do our tradespeople realise the benefits of closer ettlement, or are they content to flounder along in the same old groove. The day of large holdings is coming to an end in this country but the screw of taxation will have to receive many more turns yet before the land monopolist will voluntarily let go his hold ot huge chunks of mother earth, which he tenaciously holds to the exclusion ot the more desirable small settler. A large area of land, suitable tor closer settlement iu this district, is owned by the natives, who can, if they desire, deal with the public as to alienation, either by sale or lease. The land is held m a number ot subdivisions. As one passes along the road the most inferior only is seen. Further back, towards the river, rich alluvial soil is met witn —some ol rhe ncaest laud for fattening, dairying or agricultural purposes along tuc Coast. The Native owners, content with a small rental wmch keeps them comparatively idle, no cum-

pensatiou for improvements to their tenants, and while money can be made off the land without incurring expense, the lessees wisely do not attempt to stop the ruinous creep of the saud drift and other evils which are spreading octopus-like, over this fertile block.

It now remains for those gentlemen who are responsible for tonight’s meeting to form themselves into a committee and to leave no stone unturned until at least some of these large holdings are thrown open for closer settlement.

“11l fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay.”

Great Britain is still cursed with

a landed aristocracy, and as a result she is losing 300,000 of her people annually, while Germany, with a vigorous laud policy, is increasing her population by half a million annually. Thank heaven we are breaking the back of some of the large holdings in this country, but a still more vigorous land settlement policy is required. Denmark is a bright example for New Zealand to follow. In that country holdings average about 40 acres, and a 100 acres holding is considered large. We have men in this district who have farmed 40 acre holdings and have done well, and who also brought up large families. We want laud for the people in this country, not land for the few, and as Felix Maguire once said, “ If there is going to be a monopoly, let’s ail be in it.”

Tin-; “ Maoriland Worker,” the organ of the Labourite Party, says in a recent issue :—“At time of writing the Labour Party would appear to have but a poor chance ot capturing many seats at the forthcoming election. McLaren will have a tough task to hold his seat. Dr Newman, his opponent, is bound to poll heavily, and will have certain powerful interests working on his side. The rest of the Wellington Labour candidates, with the exception of Hindmarsh, will have Buckley’s chance of winning. In Christchurch the same thing applies. There is not a possible chance, from present appearances, of any of them scoring a “ try.”

A corrksuonuknt asks that the Coroner’s rider at the inquest touching the death of the victims in the recent boating tragedy should be given effect to viz., that the number of persons who should be carried in small boats should be regulated. We may point out that there is already such a regulation in the case of licensed watermen and their boats, but there can be no such regulation in the case of private boats. If people are prepared to take foolhardy risks, particularly in flat-bottomed boats, they must expect to pay the penalty.