SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS AT PATEA.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5236, 4 January 1878, Page 3

SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS AT PATEA.

The following article appears in the Patea Mail of Wednesday last : “ It will he seen by report from the Taranaki Herald of Waste Lancia Board proceedings that though a stubborn stand was made on the part of one member of the Board, and other members were not inclined to deal very liberally with Mr. Christie (a Patea man), and the Ketemarea small farmers were unceremoniously thrown over, or rather the area limited to an almost useless extent, that very different treatment was accorded to a company of Taranaki men, who had put in a later application for To,ooo acres, a selected site, with an immense road frontage, and at £1 an acre. The latter application was at once entertained. It will be* recollected that Messrs. Sheet and Bayly’s application for land for a temperance settlement was agreed to right off, a prior application by the Messrs. Cane being thrust on one side. All the applications for special settlements, alter being agreed to by the Board, have to be referred to the Government. Theßoaid having agreed—that is, the local men, who are considered to be best able to advise as to applications, and who have been selected as being specially fitted to carry out the provisions of the Waste Lands Act—it is looked upon, as a matter of course, that Government will assent unquestioningly to recommendations made by the Board. The present Government do not, however, view the matter in that light. We learn by telegram •from New Plymoth that Government has declined to accept the Board’s recommendation that Sheet and Bayly’s application should be entertained. So far as applications from Patea are concerned, there has been trouble enough, truly, with the Waste Lands Board, without further opposition from any other quarter. Messrs. Sheet and Bayly have been refused, not by the Lands Board, but by Government. A prior application from Mr. Christie is still under consideration, and will, likely enough, meet the same fate. The present Government have made a great show of favoring settlement throughout the colony. A telegram from Mr. T. Kelly, member of the Assembly, gives an instance of the good intentions of the Government to this district in particular, by stating that a vote of fourteen thousand pounds for the Mountain road was carried against even the opposition of members of their own party. The Government evidently desire to get the credit of being well-intentioned, whilst at the same time giving a most unmistakably vigorous slap in the face. Their professed desire to open the laud to settlement is belied by their action in discouraging private enterprise and associa- . tions of men whose desire is to promote settlement, and bona fide- so settle on the laud, liaviug. no powers themselves to open up country to srtthoaent, they appear determined not to allow others to do so. We scarcely need point out the damaging effect such tactics will have ou this district at-the present time. Just oh the point of bounding ahead, hope running high in all quarters, people hungering for, and straining every nerve, to become owners, and occupiers of land, and at a point where (in the interests of the colony, and to prevent theposibility of mischief in future from disaffected natives), it is most desirable settlement should lie encouraged, we have Government stepping in and vetoing arrangements made by the Lands Board to promote settlement —thus paralysing private effort and throwing a damper over the whole district. The stopping of the survey of the Waimate Plains has created a feeling of distrust in the present Government, and such a determination to hinder settlement as is shown by vetoing Skeet and Bayly s application, will raise a feeling of positive abhorrence. The probabilities are that the small farm application (comprising nearly 200 members) will bo vetoed in the same manner. Whilst having no very high opinion of the Board, as judged by its late actions, we consider that members ought to show some spirit, and resign rather than be snuffed out of existence by the autocratic action of an unscrupulous Government. The people themselves should give expression to the strong feeling of dissatisfaction which attempts to hinder the settlement of this district have engendered. It will not do to take kicks and cuffs with thankfulness.