BIG STATION PROPERTIES.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2907, 20 July 1882, Page 3

BIG STATION PROPERTIES.

"The increasing size of station pro. perties all over Australia can hardly/’ the “Sydney Echo” observes, “escape the notice of anyone glancing over the sales announced. Not many years ago a leasehold of 100 or 150 square miles of country, capable of carrying about 20,000 sheep, was considered a fair run, and many a good fortune ban been taken off such by practical resident squatters. But the advertisements' of the past month will show that unde • modem influences the industry is taking a new shape. There are offered for sab - partially-stocked runs—one of 1500 square miles, another of 1760, ano. dozens of from 300 to 100 square miles, beside nnstocked blocks in South Australia up to 8000 square miles, or 5,000,000 acres. It is said that to induce moneyed men to embark in squatting it is necessary to give great scope

in securing country ; that there properties will be all worked by ‘ syndicates,’ or corporations of capitalists, and that eventually they will subdivide themselves when wanted for settlement. Looking down the list, there appears farther south for sale a station in a more advanced stage, 22 miles river frontage, secured by the purchase of 30,000 acres freehold land. This does not look much like a disposition to subdivide ; and going farther south yot .we come to the, Murrumbidgee, where we find one freehold of 330,000 acres just sold, and another on the Edwards of 145,000 acres splendid sheep country and well adapted for wheat-growing,’ offered in the market. These .-two are' both on railways, in a centre of towns and* traffic, and in the very nucleus of the land feud, where selection was hottest of all. In reality these are specimens of the matured fruits of selection. They have been fought for, every inch, till at length the power behind the squatter, in defence of bank assets, has secured every inch of the ground, and has bought ever selector out.”