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FEILDING.

(from our own correspondent.) No one can ever get the same impression by looking at a map of a district as by getting a good bird’s-eye view of the place from some high land, where the great features and outlines can be impressed on the memory in one view. Such a view one may get of Wellington city from the flagstaff hill, and such a view one may also get here of a very large extent of country from the low hill situated at the head of Mauchester-street, Eeilding. To the west may be seen a country free from forest, and to the east is a very large extent of forest lands; but the population settled on these fertile lands is very small in proportion to what it will be before many years have elapsed. One feature of the country to the east of Feildiug is that it will require a large population to make use of it, as it cannot be made available ,by any monopolist for grazing purposes without spending much capital ou it in the shape of labor. Every locality that one may visit in the colony has some ’distinguishing characteristic stamped on it by the manner of its first settlement, and perhaps none in the colony more so than Eeilding, which was founded as a special settlement by the Emigrants and Colonists' Aid Corporation bringing out immigrants, chiefly of the laboring class, and finding them employment and assistance to get freehold houses aud land by weekly payments, for a period of three years, out of their wages. On looking to the working of this principle of colonisation there seems to have been too much of the new-chum laboring-class element in the foundation on which the structure of this community was first laid; and there can be no doubt that it would be more prosperous than it is if there had been a larger number of old colonists with some little capital placed on the rural lands, instead of new chums, to develop it and to find employment for such of the new chums as required employment to support themselves and their families, while clearing their lands from ’ debt. True, a number of settlers with some capital to enable them to make use of their lands are gradually coming into the district; but it will be a long time before the field for them will be fully occupied. I noticed a peculiar grievance set forth at a recent meeting of the Halcombe immigrants, which was that the Eeilding Corporation were selling some of their rural lands to old colonists, instead of reserving it for the new chums until they could take it up. I cannot see what use any one can make of land unless he can supoorfc himself and family until he can make his land productive. Would it not be bettor for those who require employment during the first few years of their settlement on their land that they had a few richer neighbors than themselves who could employ them during the busy times, as well as to make improvements in reclaiming theirlandsfrom the forest. So that the new-chum objection to old chums getting rural lands near Halcombe seems to me a very unreasonable one as regards new-chura interests; but time will no doubt rectify the balance as regards increasing the number of settlers that may be able to become their own employers on their own laud. Up to this timehovvever there are too many of the laboring-class in the district that are dependent on the Corporation for employment, and consequently, when dull times come, it is found that there were rather too many eggs in one basket at the starting of the settlement, which makes the task of the Corporation now more difficult to find employment for the new chums than would have been the case if a larger proportion of the settlers had been originally composed of old colonial settlers going ou to their own lands at the same time that the immigrants were located.

I have to note a remarkable social development in this district, brought about slowly and silently by the influence of a religious belief, which brings to mind the statement that a little leaven leaverieth the whole lump. Here is a religious community, with Christian ideas as primitive as were held in the latter half of the first century of the Christian era. The members of this .communion call themselves Christian Brethren—a sect that had its origin a few years ago in Wairarapa. Their founder was a: Mr. Beckland, a Norwegian, who met his death by drowning in one of the Wairarapa rivers. The mantle of Mr. Beckland fell on the late Mr. Feist, and from Mr. Feist it descended to Mr. Roots, late of Wairarapa, who is now the leader of the brethren at Feikling, many of the Wairarapa brethren having come over to Feilding. These worthy people read no book but the Bible. Newspapers have no interest for them, and they neither know nor care for any of the new ideas that have been troubling the peace of other Churches; at Feilding the brethren are not troubled about any new readings of the old book. They believe in the near approach of the end of all material things. When one of them addresses anyone on any subject whatever, he does so in the name of the Lord Jesus. I one day remarked to a brother that a good many of the brethren were coming to Feilding from Wairarapa. His reply was that “a good many more will come here if the Lord tarries and no earthquake occurs.” They work very much on the Communist principle as regards property. 1200 acres of land has been bought in the name of their leader, Mr. Roots, which is held on the co-operative principle, and this principle seems to succeed with thorn in many of their undertakings, as they are industrious and are also so much under the influence of a strong religious feeling, looking, as they do every day, for tho end of the world. Another trait I notice is that they take no part whatever in public questions or politics; affecting the cominunity. Xu-short, whatever view one may take of their abounding faith, it has the effect of making them very good members of society, and also desirable neighbors, and it seems that the new .chums of contained a considerable number of a class that had such a strong affinity, chemically speaking, for tho brethren’s faith that the numbers of tho brethren have increased until they are now themostimportant religiousbodyin this district. Another specimen of their primitive faith is that when sickness overtakes any of their number the leaders among them, meet and pray over the sick person, and I am told they lay on hands like the Apostles of old, hoping for a miraculous cure, but that they will not call in medical aid. A case of this kind occurred lately, when a child sickened; their prayers failed; and the end of it was that medical aid was at last called in just as the child was dying; but too late to save its life. Next to the Brethren come the Primitive Methodists in importance as regards numbers and influence. These two religious bodies are the only ones that have finished their meeting houses in Feilding. The Wesleyans have a church which has remained for a long time in an unfinished state. Tile Presbyterians meet in tho sclipolhouse, aud the Church of England at the immigration depot, where there is a large room suited for the purpose. So that here in Feilding is a case where the untaught , preachers have succeeded in impressing their primitive faith to a larger extent than either of the three bodies that only ordain cultivated clergymen ; hut when the number of other classes Will increase in the community those sects that are ministered to by clergymen trained for tho work

may be expected to be more prosperous than they are now amongst us. In the matter of education this district is in the position of having a good schwolhouse, aud also a master and mistress trained to the work of teaching ; but I regrot to find that many children have been reared here whose education has been neglected, and in view of the Premier’s promised scheme of education for the whole colony, I would wish to be allowed to express my opinion that the most Important principle of a colonial education measure is the making it compulsory on every district to see that the children bo in receipt of some education. X do not think that the question of secular v. religious instruction is so important as the question of making it compulsory to educate all children up to a certain standard ; and for that purpose, as there would be a greater number of children receiving education, a greater division of labor might be found advantageous, by separating more than now schools for primary aud secondary teaching. In this district there is every appliance already for teaching all the children in the community ; the only thing wanted is a compulsory law, and'also that those who nre unable to pay fees should have them remitted by a local school board. The Highway Board here has given notice of its intention to make a rate of Is. in the £ on the rateable value of property in the Manchester Highways District. I am told that there has been a considerable increase of the rental value, as assessed this year, over the last assessment.

There is some talk about the neglect of our representative in Parliament, Mr. Walter Johnston, in not having come to see the district since his election to Parliament. As Eeilding has already undoubtedly suffered in its representation in the Manawatu County Council through Mr. Johnston’s lack of local knowledge when the Government consulted him about the distribution of the representation to the County Council, it is felt to be desirable that Mr. Johnston should post himself better up in the progress that has been made here of late. The number of Mr. Johnston’s constituents has increased since last year. When Mr. Johnston was elected there were then so few electors on the roll for Eeilding that no polling place was allowed to it, but the electors from here had to . go into Palmerston North to record their votes; but I learn that there are upwards of 300 voters more ou the roll this year than there were last year for the Manchester District, a fact that should be of some consequence in getting a visit from our representative, with a view of making himself personally acquainted with the claims of the Manchester and Kiwitea ridings to be erected into a new county, separate from the Manawatu County.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18770531.2.22

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5050, 31 May 1877, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,805

FEILDING. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5050, 31 May 1877, Page 3

FEILDING. New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5050, 31 May 1877, Page 3

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