THE PUGET SOUND EXODUS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 27, 31 December 1883, Page 2

THE PUGET SOUND EXODUS.

(Woodrille Examiner.) It is extraordinary how rumours, apparently peifectly unfounded, get circulated, and surprising how much damage may be nnconciously done by auch reports. Lately the astonished province was informed that 200 scared and disappointed settlers were aboutjto leave fche colony m favor of America, that the most of these hailed from the 70---mile Bush, presumably Norsewood, and that they were simply going to throw up their holdings, and ** clear." This report was duly echoed, the Waimrapa papers getting hold of it, and one or two others m different places. Each one, as it commented upon such extraordinary action, ventured into probabilities and possibilities, wondering whero the defects m the small settlement system lay, suggesting remedies totally unrequired and unsuitable, and unnecessary. The rumour has at last reached Ohristchurch where anewspaper makes a leading article, of. the "■ Emigration from Hawke'a Bay." The effect of such rumours is serious, andgreally tends to damage the good name and prosperity which our province has hitherto enjoyed. It also exposes m our provincial papers a considerable amout of inconsistency, for w hen they report that this emigration is to take place, and m the same breath attempt to show that the province is shorthanded m men for harvesting and other work, people down South art apt to enquire. " Then why are these men leaving V We can vouch for one thing, however, and that is that the rumour is unfounded so far as the fact goes that a quantity, of settlers are^leaving Nor»ewooci. We make this^asssrtipn on the

strength of information received from one of the leading storekeepers m that s .tclemcn^ who stales that the Battlers there know far too much to throw up their land to go to a new country. They admit that the Norsewood soil is not so good as some of the bu«h tands, but at the same time they seem satisfied that it has a sufficient carrying capacity to meet all reasonable requirements. Moreover, did three or four adjacent settlers agree to sell their holding m one block, there is little doubt fchac, at the yery lcasi, they ■ could doso readily at a price which would recoup them for the price paid for the J anc L t ?g®4k er . with the cost of improvements they have made. We should like to see those papers that aided iv making that report public, assist us m assuring lihose who have noticed it that there is very convincing evidence to shew that the whole atfa.ir.is unfounded^ and thit the "alleged emigration isj one of those things]that will never come to pass. i