The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 76, 11 July 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 11, 1877.

Tt is of vital importance to the townships m the Manawatu and other districts, not only that blocks of land m the immediate neighborhood of . these townships should be thrown open for selection upon deferred payments, but that roads should be,, made to and through such blocks, and every reasonable encouragement offered-to steady hard-working men to take up holdings. It is very well to plant towns and support them for a while by public expenditure, but unless they are also endowed with facilities for self support, their prosperity is but short-lived. Much has already "been written and said, concerning the season of depression, through which many parts of the Colony are at present passing. Some writers on the subject blame the Government, whilst others blame the spirit of over speculation which has existed m the past, and caused •many of our business men to overstep the bounds of prudence m their haste to become rich. But whatever may he the cause of f the depression, we think the surest way of removing it is to develope the resources of the country districts. Let these be prosperous, and the towns will- grow apace. Let the roots extend freely into the soil, and the trees will flourish. In saying thifs we do not m the least disparage the part that municipal regime performs m the progress of our centres of • population. The internal industries are one great factor m the material progress of towns, butthese would- have only a very low form of vitality if not supported by, the adjacent Country. The town depends upon the country district for its vitality m much the same way, as the river depends upon its tributaries for its force and body. This principle is obvious enough, but cannot be inculcated, too frequently during the time m which we are" moulding our future .destiny as a community. In connection with this subject it is curious to note the position of - the various centres throughout the Manawatu District. Sandon is of them all most happily situated as regards its back country. Instead of the axe and the fire it requires only the plough and the harrow. Small as the settlement now is we must confess that as an agricultural district it is almost certain to take the lead for a considerable time. If the Sandon people are true to their own interests a very few : years will make their district one of the best producing in^bhe pro-vince,-and themselves a wealthy community. As far as the avdantages of open country are concerned, perhaps Feilding ranks next to Sandon. But if \ye include the Kiwitea, there is much pioneer work to be done before the agriculturist will hajeafair field for' his labours. Feilding undoubtedly shares m the bright promise that the future gives to every town iii the Manawatu; but its halcyon days are not yet m the imi mediate prospect.. The community owes its existence mainly to a speculation, and l;he speculators will have to.see a return . of their capital before the settlers are free and prosperous holders of the soil. Yet we doubt not that the settlers who have recently expressed dissatisfaction at their lot, will ere long realise all the hopes of independence and prosperity that induced them to leave their parent- shores.' Eoxton, as the key of the whole county, holds an important position. It is marked out as the seat of a commercial community, and as the other towns grow m wealth and importance it must of necessity grow. Yet -it is no v t, nor will it be, independent- of local produce. Although its direct communication with the central mart gives it an advantage over our inland towns, that advantage would be ' obviously much increased did it become of itself largely productive. But to no place is the opening up of the adjacent country of greater importance than- to Palmerston, which has neither the open-country of Sandon nor the harbor of Foxton. But .prosperous would Palmerston be as an emporium of trade if, with' its central position, it had /a fivemile radius studded with homestead's. As it happens though, settlement is almost an impossibility about Pal-« merston, except along the main lines that form our inter whan comum.nications. It is now required to make the bush lands accessible to the desiring settler, and until some systematic method is adopted to lay out roads to the marketable bush lands very little can be done m the way of an industrial occupation of th-e soil, and the progress of this and other townships similarly situated, will be

both slow and unsteady. But at present the very important work of constructing roads to the marketable Crown Lands seems to belong to no executive body. The utmost that the Government appears willing to do for the small farmer is to place a block of land hei'eand there m the market on deferred payments. He. can occupy it and thrive, or occupy it and starve, just as may happen. His. fate is a matter of little interest to the Government, and the marketing of the land appears to be purely a piece of departmental formality. But however neglectful the existing law enables the^. Government to be of its paternal relations m this respect, the works to which it has committed itself, ought at least, to be carried out?. Now that the bridge across the Manawatu is all but or quite completed, the road ow the Ktzherberton side should be proceeded with so as to enable those who have purchased or who are willing to purchase land m that district to get on their respective holdings. As the matter stands at present it is difficult for the ownei's of these sections to come into Palmerston for supplies during the* heavy winter . weather, and it is impossible for vehicles to traverse the road m any weather while it remains m its present-rudi-mentary condition. A comparatively small expenditure would suffice to complete this road' so far as to enable free communication between Palmerston and Fitzherberton, and until this outlay is consented to, the land south, of the river is likely to retain much, of its primaeval condition, and the Manawatu Bridge remain an almost useless structure.