The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDY, OCTOBER 31,1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 108, 31 October 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDY, OCTOBER 31,1877.

It- is a subject of complaint -tha^ the block of land recently -surveyed m the neighbourhood- of Earere for sale on the deferred payinent-' "system is 1 unfit for settlement by reason of its extreme, wetness. ' ;r ■ Mr Monrad of Earere has written upon the subject, and his letter lias been forwarded to the chief surveyor. Hei Mr Monrad j says he has good reason to believe ' that the land could ;be drained into the Oroua River. 'The chief surveyor replies iii a^memo that there is no fund from which Moneys can be drawn for the work d£ drainage referred to, arid the only aiiitthority by which it can be done is a specific vote of the Housed Thus the;V matter is quietly set aside, and a valuable block of land', valuable both as to quality arid; ' situation, is left m an almost, useless condition for the* want of a- little .public money being spent upon jftr' This is one instance: of the many to be fbimd m Now - Zealand wherein^^ sejtlement -is retarded and industry .. discouraged through want of some statutory provision for improving. the lands .offered for sale. A special- vote: of the House to drain the Karere block is quite" beyond! the reaches of hope at the present time. But we had hoped when the"" Settlement Works Advances 'Bill " was tabled that the long and' urgently required provision was about to be made and that the work of settlement m this and other regions would receive such an impetus as this or some . such measure alone could give. This Bill provides: that I *-' Out of the monies voted by the General Assembly there may from time to time^be issued and .applied advances of money for the .purpose, of constructing works to or m any blocks of land opened or to be opened for saltf or occupation." tri their, inscrutable wisdom the : Assembly sa.w'fit to consign- this excellent measure to* the waste basket, and m consequence the intendlng.purchasers of the itarere. block-v^l^in%otomon with many other people have to suffer the heart sickness of hope f deferred;