The Hon. Mr. Ballance and the Village Settlements.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 171, 25 September 1886, Page 4

The Hon. Mr. Ballance and the Village Settlements.

Auckland, September 22. Tiik Hon. J. Ballance has lost no time itjL addressing himself with characteristic vigour to the work of arranging all the nocesaavy details for the satisfactory inauguration of his Village Settlement Scheme wfiioh is the principal object of his present visit to Auckland. He v was closeted for a considerable time this morning with. Mr D. A. Tole (Commissioner of Crown Lands), Mr Peroy Smith (Chief Surveyor), and Mr John Lundon. He is disposed to offer overy encouragement forparties of bona fide working' men ,to settle upon the land and no more generous terms hare been offered in any country, for that purpose. It is" intended to open up, road making works on each block for the benefit of the selectors, who- • by this means will bo enabled to maintain them ' families in Auckland while preparing & home> for them in the country. As "soon, also* as they have erected their houses it is intendod that the GoTcrnmont bonus shall be paid them on application at the nea- cst post-office,' while arrangements will also be made to transport the selectors*; * families to the various blocks as soon as the houses to be erected thereon ' are ready for them. The competition has been so keen foi&tho village sections so far offered that Mr*Ballanco is taking the necessary steps to Gazette some further blocks for the samo purpose. • One of the first of these will be the Punakftcrc Block 'of* 1 1,000' acres, at Hokian'pf'a,' and' Which is otherwise 'known as the ParnelL Endowment. 'It has been offered, by the Parnell borough, and aceopted by tha Government for village settlement. It will be seen by reference to ' Our advertising columns that. Mr Lundon-has*' convened a meeting:" for < Friday eyening next', , to consider..^ the: < Minister's intension ,to proclaim > additional blocks of land: ' Mr Ballance remains in. Auckland until' Friday next,*' whon he leaves for 1 the West Codst to blear up.some native diffl-i culties which, hay;e;ajcisen, through, theadminis- ( tra'tion of native* reserves. ' The natives complain of delay in getting their rents from leased landgj and also pf 'the' heavy 'charge's 'made' by the j^oparttn,ont l iro£ „the Public, • TrusteesJ * Ho, v»;ilL,ul80 , arrange , ( for 4 tho, , holdings of a Native Land "Court tKere, in order, to>; ' facilitate -tlid individualisa'tion 'of ihe nattvo titlo to land.,- It .'is, said that considerably- over' " 100,000 acres qfJand,^viU<bq t put Uirough r tiie Cpurt. ' lytrlJallance will «6t" have, time during^ . hirffpresdnt/trip' £o' r vislt'the Thanles,''b'ut'i^ J advantages* as a> -Held i tot 'sottleiWont • ' have been recognised, and will pcs turned,' tot t i account. We understand that. several doputa- , tions'aro to -vraitupon Mußallancein the coura*. ■ of to-morrow or Wednesday*