CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1348, 16 January 1915, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

FOXTON. AWAKE 1 (To the Editor)Sir,—On Tbursday last had the nlaasure, per medium of the kindness of one of your local millers, to take a trip up the rive, in a flax punt. The trip was one 1 shall long remember, not only from a pleasure point ot view, but from the surprise I experienced m passim- through such fertile couutiy,' capable of tbe. closest settlement without detriment to the tlaxmiUing industry. People are crying out for land, and yel more land, and the Government boasts that one ol tbe principal planks of its policy is to settle the people on tire bunt. How comes it that this fertile country has been overlooked ? Are Foxlon’s leading citizens dead to their own Interests and the interests ol the State -that limy allow so much first-class laud, capable of producing a thousandfold increase, to remain looked up in tne hands of a few ? What is your Pailiamenlary representative going to do in the malter ? Large holdings are the curse of this country, ami here m your very midst you have firstclass land capable of settling several hundred families, held by a lew people, presumably hi taming stock aud grazing sheep. And every vear you people aie ac.dmg pounds to 'it in unearned incremeut. I find no fault with the fortunate owners not a bit but there is cause for complaint against the indifference and apathy ot your local people for not bringing the matter under the notice of ibe Government. W bat’s to binder your local governing oody r taking up the question aud inviting tbe Minister ior Lands to visit the district, together with one or two of his departmental officers. Take him lor a trip up the river, I am sure he would be convinced of the suitability of the land for settlement purposes, and it would uot be long before steps would be taken in the cutting-up process. People visiting your town see only the sand areas. Take them up the river, and they will got the shock of their lives. If this land is to be kept locked up hi large areas, it would be interesting, Mr Editor, for you to publish the amount ot laud aud income lax the owners are paying into the Stale coffers. Perhaps it would pay the Slate and ensure greater stability to the hemp industry it the Government acquired the llax areas as well. The owners of laud controlling so an industry should uot, under any circumstances, be allowed an absolutely liee hand, and yet I am informed that the millers are mere creatures jammed between the Union and “lotus of the iffix land."’ The land 'question in this locality certainly wants shaking up, and now’s the lime to Vour Parliamentary representative is paid A3 OO P er Year tn attend to such matteis. Give him tacts and figures, and let him fire ahead. Get your Mayor to wake up and call a public meeting to discuss this matter of vital impmtance not only to your town, but to the Dominion. What in the mime o 1 common sense are you ail hanging hack ior ? Get your publicspirited citizens to arouse themselves, and it is surprising what even half-a-dozen could do. But, sir, perhaps your public men belong to the class known as ‘ lire idle rich.” Anyhow, the prospects before ibis place are enormous, and to be hank, J don’t think tbe people realise it. I sincerely hope this letter will be read in tbe right spirit, and if it only arouses one public man to action 1 shall lsc-1 that my visit to Foxton has served a double purpose. Yours in anticipation.— \ IS iTO R,