SELLING THE PLAINS.

Patea Mail, 16 September 1880, Page 2

SELLING THE PLAINS.

The first portion of the Waimate Plains advertised for sale is an are* of 4,4G0 acres, being the first block beyond the Waingongora river. A plan of the block shows the sections in two colors, the red sections being offered on deferred payment at £5 an acre, the blue sections being for selection at £4. The block may be roughly described as three miles square, and lies next to the land already settled. The distance is 4-t miles from Hawcra, 24 from Normanby, with frontage to the sen, and bounded by the Waingongora stream. When tins block is settled, a farther block along the coast, with Manaia township as its centre, will be offered for settlement, and we hope no delay will ensue in doing so. This Manaia block is shown on the present plan, but the sections arc left nncolored as not being for sale at present. Another block nearer to Normanby, with Okaiawa township for its centre, is also shown on this plan, but is left uncolorcd till ready for sale. This Okaiawa block cuts into the area now colored for sale, and being near to present settlements it ought to be offered earlier than the Manaia block. A bridge on the new' road (Normanby to Opnnaki) will complete the communication with Normanby, and open up a desirable district whore the land is excellent, lying close to the bush but not in it.

The land in block S, now offered for selection, comprises 3,200 acres for sale at £-1 an aere upset price. No condition is attached as to residence or improvement. It may go in large holdings, so far as the Government.care. No township appears in this block. These sections range between SO and 39 acres each, the avenge being about 00. There are 130 sections (including deferred payment), and they will cany a population of about 500 persons, taking the average of families in a grazing district. It is a low average, and may be multiplied several times when die district developcs into general faming. The deferred payment sections number only 22 out of 130, and they average about 55 acres each, the largest being S3 and the least 48. As to the area now offered, it should be explained that the official announcement of 7,500 acres being for sale is a curious contradiction in itself. The map now issued shows a completed survey of 7,500 ceres, but nearly half of that area is not for sale at present. The remaining portion will be offered after the present hlocl is sold ; but why did the official announcement state a fact in a misleading wfy ? Why not state that 3,200 acres are to be sold ? If sales in the future are to be announced as sales in the present, the Government may as well advertise three million acres for sale, and leave us all to guess what they mean. The deferred payment sections will be open for application on the 25th October, at the Patea Land office and at Hawera. Sections applied for by more than one selector will be put up to auction at Hawera on the 28th October, the reserve price being £5. Only one section can be taken by each applicant in this class; Os per acre deposit. The land on immediate payment will be put up to auction October 29tb, at Hawera, the reserve price being £4.