OPENING LAND.

Patea Mail, 16 July 1881, Page 3

OPENING LAND.

Sir, —It is matter for congratulation that the business men of Patea have bestirred themselves in the matter of getting fresh land opened for settlement. Few people at this end of the County have any idea of the amount of settlement going on around the foot of Mount Eginont, and a great deal of that is drawn there because there is no reasonable opening for it around here. Men who have been about here for years must sell out and go further afield, although they would rather remain in this neighborhood. New Plymouth and Wailara must have their trade. Compare the Otoia block with blocks in the Ngaire district. In the Otoia block the land, without any road, was offered on deferred payment (after no more of it would fetch £1 per acre cash) for 30s to 35s per acre, and the subsequent clearing of the bye-roads was charged to the D.P. funds. In the Ngaire block the t land, though not of as good quality, is more level, and is offered (without having been picked over) at 20s per acre on deferred payment, after the roads have been felled and cleared at the expense of the country. The 30 per cent, refund is then available for earthworks and formation. Sections in the Otoia block that have be?n open for sale the last three years at 30s per acre, still remain at that upset price, although there is power to reduce the upset to 20s. Sections that have been forfeited have never been re-opened for selection ; and a very desirable section of 180 acres, which is an Education Reserve, has never been offered for lease at all; although there is a buggy road to it. In Moinabaki the sectional survey of blocks has been completed for 2 j’ears, but the land has never been offered for sale, as the Wellington Lands Board hoped to get more money for it by bolding on. As to the remedy for this undesirable state of things, I believe that it is useless to expect much enthusiasm or action from the country settlers at this end of the County. The Hawera end has of course its own fish to fry. A petition was once circulated to have some bush land surveyed for sale, not far from Woodville. One settler refused to sign because he thought the Road Board had enough roads to look after ; and another because opening more land could only mean having Ins road cut up by increased traffic. The mover gave it up. The Patea East ratepayers would possibly use similar arguments if you were to try and convince them that it is desirable to open their bush country. The townspeople have rightly moved in the matter, and it is they who must keep moving to have the back country opened in the same way as Taranaki does, viz., whole blocks on deferred payment, no residence clause, low upset price, and roads felled and cleared before the land is offered. Then this end of the district will be able to offer inducements equal to the northern end, and the superior quality of the soil should even give it an advantage—l am, &c., Well-wisher.