South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2656, 24 September 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1881.

A late issue of the “ Wairarapa Star,” a country journal published near the settlement referred to, contains the following paragraph :—“The work of clearing the deferred payment sections in the Forty-Mile Bush between Eketahuna and Woodville is progressing rapidly. Already a small settlement has been formed, and the sound of the axe is heard echoing through the solitude. As yet only h good beginning has been made, but a year hence the population will probably be largely augmented. Supplies in the shape of meat and groceries arc forwarded, weather permitting, every Saturday from Woodville—a distance of seventeen miles—but occasionally of late these visits have been delayed through the river being up, and the bushmen have been reduced to potatoes and point.” This paragraph in a few rough touches paints a picture of hard life of some of the deferred payment settlers, of such a life as we are wont to speak of as having been characteristic of the early daj* of the settlement, but now no Ion; e • even possible. But “ roughing it” in the attempt to found home* is still encountered. In Otago large blocks have been disposed of on deferred payments, and some of the settlers have had and still have hard times. In one case a settlement is located on the summit of a ridge 200 U feet high ; in another in a swamp so impracticable that the men could not even camp on it until it had been drained. And yet the settlers will succeed, in spite of faard-

ships that would seem sufficient to deter the bravest,', and of obstacles that would seem sufficient to entirely prevent settlement. The SurveyorGeneral reported very favorably a short time ago on the prospects of these settlers, and spoke hopefully of the ultimate success of even those moat disadvantageous^'situated. Mr. W , H. Pearson, a Commissioner of Crown Lands, writing of the deferred payment settlers on the Mataura, says—- “ Here the same stable prosperity evinces that the battle with nature is being fought out to a successful issue. In many instances the struggle is undoubtedly hard, owing to an insufficiency of material in commencing the campaign; but thrift, energy, and practical acquaintance with the pursuit, assisted by the employment afforded by the surrounding large proprietors will ultimately conquer.” He considers that in the deferred payment system “ the right trail to the groat issue—a prosperous and advantageous ultilisationof State property —has been struck.” If these settlements are proving the success they undoubtedly are proving, now that they have been instituted so late in the day, if they are making so great changes in the appearance and value of the country, in spite of bad or no roads, and a long and tedious communication with any outlet for produce, what would have been their success had they been instituted earlier, before all the good land had been thrown at the feet of speculators ?