OPENING LAND.

Patea Mail, 19 July 1881, Page 3

OPENING LAND.

Mr Shkkwood had been asked to move the first resolution,t “ That this meeting strongly urges upon the Government the desirability of having all Crown lands, including reserves, between Waitotara and Waingongoro, opened for bona fide settlement ; that before sale, three or four main roads be opened from the Coast to the back line, and such other roads as may be necessary to enable purchasers to obtain a good knowledge of the land.” He said : The opening up of Crown lands is of very great importance to us, and I am much pleased to see by the requisition that we can at once say that this is no party movement, that this has no shade of party politics, that this is the outcome of the feeling of all shades of opinion ; that it means for the future that there is to be a determined action of all shades, irrespective of opinions, to have this part of the country opened up for bona fide settlement. It is a matter of surprise to many of the residents here, and it has been an invariable matter of surprise to visitors when they come to this district, that the lands have been allowed to remain-solong in the hands of the Government; that there has not been such an attempt as there ought to have been to secure a bona fide settlement along this coast. I prefer to discuss this question on a broader ground than is suggested in the requisition. Between the Waingongoro and Waitotara rivers we have land that can be put in the market to the extent of 300,000 acres, and at present not a European resides on those acres. It is the duty and the interest of the Government to put settlers on the land. When we view that vast areapf land we should endeavor to deal with the subject in a comprehensive manner, not by asking the Government to deal with the land block by block, but asking them to put in a scheme so that the whole of this land can be brought into settlement within as reasonable a period as may be. The resolution states that main roads should be made, and that subsidiary roads should also be made to enable purchasers to ascertain the character of the land. We should start by saying that the era of land settlement should pass away, and that by cutting roads we should not give opportunities to capitalists to take up large blocks of land where no European has ever been, except some one sent to report on the land and secure it for them. We should not have it after deferred settlers have got on land and made roads, that so and so possesses some 20,000 acres of excellent land where daylight hag been let into it not by the energy of the large settler but by that of the smaller settler. We begin by saying the land is the property of the Government, and that they can put it into the market as soon as they like. Then we should ask them to put it into the market, but first to make roads, and cut the land into reasonably sized farms to secure future settlement. There is foorn in that magnificent block for three or four settlements three times as large as the one we are living in at present ; and I yenture to ask you to agree that these settlements should be established by the Government ; that they should give reasonable inducements to enable people to go in and give the settlements a start. I believe if this is urged continuously by the press and the people, if the whole of the Coast join together—let it not be a matter for Patea, but let the wjhole Coast join together to represent to the Government the necessity of opening up the whole of this land, it would be one of the best things that could happen to the whole of this Coast, and most certainly, it would be a blessing to the cblony. As to the University reserve, it contains 10,000 acres of land, and that has‘been at the disposal of the Government any time since about 1871, yet nothing has been done with it. Yes, it was proposed a short time ago to lease

it at a nominal rental as a firewood reserve for Patea. I have reason to believe ihat the local officer objected to that, and pointed out that it is a totally different block from what the Government had been led to believe it is. Consequently nothing has been done with it at present. Some of it is excellent land, equal to the very best we have, yet it was proposed to lease that for a nominal rental, perhaps we will say to one man. That should be cut up into reasonably sized farms for long periods, and Jet for bona tide settlement. As to the native reserves, I believe the Government contemplate disposing of them, and a short time ago I had the honor to submit to the Minister of Lands this proposal, that these native lands should be cut up in moderately sized farms and the lease sold by auction to the highest bidder ; that there should be a receiver of the rents, which should be paid every six months to the Commissioner, he in turn paying them over to the natives. That would get over this system of taking up large blocks of land, varying from two to ten thousand acres, by one individual employing only two or three men. These reserves are apt to fall into the hands of two or three individuals, to the exclusion of Europeans. This sort of thing is going on at present. Wo must endeavor to get a lesson from experience. The Minister for Lands said the whole matter was in the hands of Sir William Fox, and there it remains. There has been no expression of opinion, and I think we should give it to-night. A short time since two men waited on me to ask if I could endeavor to get some land opened at the back of Otoia block, as they wished to purchase some land and settle on it. I waited on the Commissioner, and he expressed himself very favourably, as I know he always has been to open up the lands. I believe he represented the matter to the Government. I told him these men represented that there were about 1,600 acres of land in that block suitable for settlement on deferred payments, and these men wished to take it up. There were no surveyors, and they could not be got. After that, however, a private individual went to Wellington, already owning 500 acres, and he applied for this particular piece : and they allowed him to get a private survey of that piece, and it will then be put up for sale in one block, and of course he will become the purchaser. These two men waited in the district a short time, and then left. That system ought to be stopped. The whole of us should endeavor now to back up the local Land Commissioner. At present we are being held back by an influence —it wants to be faced and put down—and that is the influence of the Chief Surveyor of Taranaki. While his influence exists over this part of the district, I am satisfied we shall have no healthy progress. Lands have been reported upon as useless by him to the Government, and they have acted on his advice ; and the very land I have just spoken about, which was reported as useless and unfit for settlement, was visited by the Chief Surveyor a few months ago —I believe in consequence of my interview with the Minister—and he was utterly astounded to find such a fine piece of land in there. I believe the Chief Surveyor of Taranaki had not made a personal inspection, and therefore could not make a proper report. We have these reports coming in from time to time, from those who are supposed to know all about it, that the land is not suitable for settlement; but when people get on the land they find it is eminently suitable for settlement, I cannot help thinking that it has been the policy of Governments —I say Governments—to ignore the natural facilities for opening up the country. One of the most notable natural facilities is the rivers into the interior. I believe the Patea river would give an inlet to at least 100,000 acres of very fair to very good land, and that by the expenditure of a few thousand pounds, a steam launch might be made to convey provisions up and produce down! and that from this water-course roads might be made to other interior lands. In one locality on the main branch of this river, large blocks of land have recently got into the hands of private individuals. It may be reasonably supposed that these lands contain valuable minerals, but as the lands have never been explored except by ope or two individuals sent in by the capitalists, the • Government knowing nothing about it, of course those lands were taken up, as other blocks all along this Coast have been takey up. Some hundreds of thousands of good acres have gone into the hands of private individuals, in consequence of the reports of officers not conveying to the Government a proper idea of the character of the land. (.Applause.) Mr J. Gibson seconded the motion, re-

| marking that the previous speech left scarce!}' any new point to umeh on. The Chairman invited other remarks. None being made, the motion was put and carried unanimously.