DEVELOPING THE RESOURCES OF THE COLONY.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 408, 5 October 1889, Page 5

DEVELOPING THE RESOURCES OF THE COLONY.

E\kkyone is agreed that the natural resources of this colony are so vast as to b ' for our purposes and in our generation almost illimitable. Everyone also equally allows that what this colony wants just now most urgently is an influx of population to develop those resources, and by their industry and increased wealth production to enable us all to live under easier conditions, as regards taxation and socially, than we do at present, and that as a matter of fact without a largo influx of population and a correspondingly large development of our natural resources this colony is likely to remain in a more or less stagnant condition for a long period, just holding its own, paying its way, and no more. The great scheme that Vogel propounded in 1871 was not only a scheme for constructing large and costly nublie works, but in addition it was to cause the introduction of a large population to settle on the land. Its failure was not really due to the manner in which the money was expended — for New Zealand could stand a good deal even of absolute waste in public works without suffering severely — but we mut>t seek for the true cau.°e of failure in the locking-up of accessible lands against settlement. We spent over two millions sterling in bringing out immigrants, and practically did nothing to locate them on the land. Those who were in the colony when the public works and immigration scheme was endorsed by Parliament are aware that it would never have been carried if the Ministry of the day had not over and o-ser accain pledged themselves that our land laws should bo altered and made more liberal, and that every possible inducement and encouragement should be given to the expected immigrants to go and settle upon the. land. Member after member rose in his place and said unless this were done, the mere spending money in public works would end m misery and disaster to the colony. Sir Edward Stafford spoke on that occasion almost prophetically. He said, "Pro vision must bo made for .settling the immigrants to be introduced upon the land, and to do thi,* he would be prepared to ride rough-shod over the whole existing land laws of New Zealand. He knew whole districts admirably adapted for agricultute which had been carved not into huge estates by the operation of our most pernicious land laws. If we are going to land a large number of people upon the shores of this colony without offering them the facilities for settling, we shall have nothing but a hungry, discontented, semi-pauperised people. Instead of having a healthy stream of immigrants coming into the country to reclaim its waste lands, we shall have a peripatetic, unsettled, discontented popu lation, who instead of being a source of wealth will be a great source of injury and injustice to those already in the country." And when towards the end of that session there were signs that the Government intended to burk their pledge in connection with liberalising the land laws, Mr J. C. Richmond said : " Unless those who think with me exert themselves to the very utmost and sit here three months, if necessary, to perfect these Bills, we shall launch measures which will bring shame and disgrace on every one of us who have so grossly failed in our duty to protect the interests of the people of this country." Everybody knows nothing was done, and the state of the colony now as regards the accumulation of big estates is far worse than it was at that period of our existence. A return has recently been laid before Parliament showing how the land is held in blocks of over 5,000 acres. In going through that return we discover that 48 individuals and companies, taken from the eleven closely - printed pages of names given, are in possession of freeholds amounting altogether to 1,440,668 acres, of a computed unimproved value of £554,447. We single out these 48 because in the column of the return devoted to the money value of the improvements on their estates, it is shown that no improvements of any sort have been made upon them. If they are occupied at all, one would imagine that the owners would be compelled to lay out some money, were it ever so small ; but no, the column where these estates are given is a dismal blank. This is the sort of development of our resources which is fostered and encouraged by our present land system. If these holders were compelled to pay a substantial tax upon the unimproved value of their land, we should soon see some improvements made upon it, or they would find themselves compelled to part with the land to those who would utilise it. Each of these 48 selfishly monopolises, for apparently no useful purpose whatever, an average area of 29,180 acres. How is it possible for a young country to progress when its land is held in such a manner as this ? If prosperity can only be assured to us by the bona 'fide settlement of our lands, and the consequent development of the rich resources contained in the land, then it is hopeless to expect that era of prosperity until we work a perfect revolution in out land system, and "ride," as Sir Edward Stafford said, "rough-shod over the whole of the existing land laws of New Zealand.' •^-"Auckland Star," September 26.

A Happy Medium,- -A spiritualist with a prefcfcy girl on each side of him. The richest man, whatever his lot, is he who is content with what he has got. The Fife Dukedom is the firat English creation of that rank since that of' Westminster in 1874.