THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5811, 13 November 1879, Page 3

THE WAIMATE PLAINS.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. SlB, —In reading your leading article of yesterday one i? apt to inquire,—What really is the price that Government wM sell the best of the land in the Waimate Plains for ? as I believe the general opinion of nine-tenths of the public of New Zealand would be “that its outside value is about £S per acre.” Now if Government will grant to intending settlers what each requires, on the understanding that it is not to be paid for until five years pass, so as to give each an opportunity to realise out of the increase of his stock the purchase money, it would be far better for many obvious reasons to get it thus than enter any small farm association. This plan would also allow the settler to invest all his capital in stock, &.0., and not enter on it, as he would require to do (though comparatively wealthy), a poor man, if he hampered himself with paying (for even a £4OO lot) a deposit of £4O down and monthly instalments of £8 to any association, with their expensive machinery, to get, at the best, after ten years, only a freehold of 50 acres, instead of at once taking up a section of not less than 200, which lie could easily clear if he knew anything about breeding and farming before the expiry of his term. In fine I quite agree with you that it would be very wrong for Government to give away the land at less than its fair value, and though l it may seem a drawback to give it on deferred payment for five years, not a few will say with me, “ that even after that time there will be some still unsold.”—l am, &c., Resident. November 11.