LAND ON DEFERRED PAYMENTS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 53, 27 January 1872, Page 9

LAND ON DEFERRED PAYMENTS.

As very shortly the Provincial Government of Wellington will throw open a large block of land under the system of deferred payment, the following letter, addressed to the " Lyttelton Times " by the Hon. Secretary of the " Canterbury Workingmen's Mutual Protection Society," may prove interesting:— Sir, —The question of the disposal of the lands of this province on the deferred payment system is evidently becoming of vital importance in connection with its future welfare.

In accordance with the expressed wish of the majority of the members representing the various constituencies of the colony in the General Assembly we are about to have a revival of immigration from Europe.

From the various events which are taking plafe around us in connection with the immigration question it does not require any very large amonnt of penetration to foresee that in the interests of this province the disposal of its public lands on more liberal terms than the present land regulations permit of, are imperatively demanded, not only in the interests of all the population, but also in order to retain those immigrants which we may expect to receive into this province under the Public Works and Immigration Policy to which the colony is now committed. In your issue of the 2nd January there appeared an extract taken from the Southland " Times " of Dec. 36. bearing on the immigration question, which explains the facilities which the Government is willing to offer to settlers

who are desirous to assist their friends to join them from Europe.

It is very evident that if we in this province refrain from offering to immigrants which may arrive, those facilities which are to be obtained in some of the neighboring provinces of New Zealand, that we shall not be able to retain them. There is clear evidence at the present moment of the necessity which exists for offering every facility which we can offer in order that immigrants after arrival may be able to establish homes for themselves. If we look around us at the present moment in any district in this province we may see scores and hundreds of our fellovr-colonists camped like gypsies, in tents, without homes, and in many cases without food, waiting for the harvest to commence in order that they may obtain remunerative employment, who in all likelihood would be better employed in improving their homes if more liberal regulations such as those which land on deferred payments is calculated to afford.