PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1880. WAIMATE SECTIONS.

Patea Mail, 26 October 1880, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1880. WA IMATE SECTIONS.

Most of the sections offered on deferred payment will have to be put up to auction on Thursday. The JO sections have brought 82 applications, some of the preferable sections being applied for several times over, and only a small number remain without applicants. Probably 20 of the sections will go to auction, about 10 will be allotted to single applicants without competition, and 9 would thus remain without applicants. These figures are only approximate, as the detailed statement of Hawera appli cations has not reached us, the applications closing only yesterday. These figures indicate a brisk demand for land ou the Waimate Plains, even at the high reserve price of £5 an acre. The other sections tor cash purchase are likely to be run up in the auction room to a dear figure next Friday. Competitors are certain to be numerous. A continuous stream of land-prospectors has been passing up to the Plains during the past six weeks; and though opinions have varied in expression, the general testimony lias been highly favorable to the West Const as a grazing country. Its suitability for cereals is equally evident to those who understand the climate, for the country inland is as favorable for producing the finest wheat as the coast-belt is for rich “ iced” in winter and immense growth in summer without parching drought. The Plains, however, are a problem. Land is overweighted there with risks and burdens which severely depreciate the value. Security is not assured, and it. is not easy to believe that the Government arc taking the best means of assuring that security which most of ns think could be attained by sagacious firmness without meddlesome coddling. All honor to the Minister whose policy secures peace, no matter who he be ! Settlers will have to calculate that the Plains are blighted with a tax which is wanted for that omnivorous community who are happy only when public money is being spent at Taranaki. Most new settlers don’t know Taranaki yet. They have something to learn. One thing they have to learn is that this Taranaki

harbor tax is worse than a local tax for making bye-roads, inasmuch as a bycroacl is a local necessity and a remunerative investment, whereas this Taranaki tax will bring no benefit to the Waimate Plains during the life-time of the present generation. It- will go to feed Taranaki for no equivalent. There is just this hope about the Taranaki tax, that when the new settlers realise its unprofitable tyranny, they may be bold enough and strong enough to rise in united anger and throw it off.