Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE. SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1895.

Te Aroha News, Volume XI, Issue 1719, 2 March 1895, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1895.

' This above all—to thins own self be true, And it nonet follow as the night the day Thou canet not thou be false to any man.' SIUKKSrKAKE.

At the last meeting of the Crown Lands Board a report was read from the Superintendent of Village Settlements, which was anything hut favourable towards some of the settlers in this district. Several of the settlers have entirely ignored the conditions under which they took up the land, and from all appearances are merely appropriating the same for speculative purposes. The Board decided to notify the defaulting section holders that at next meeting they would, proceed to forfeit the holdings of those who are not complying with the conditions, viz., residence, etc. We are of opinion that such steps threatened by the Board should have been made long ago, and hope that now they have taken the matter in hand they will see it through, and weed out the drones. Why should one sectionholder be allowed to let his land re-

main in its natural state, while his neighbours on either side are sparing neither time nor money in erecting dwellings, cultivating, and otherwise improving! the land; which, as a natural consequence; is enhancing the value —from a monetary point of view —of the section held by his less energetic neighbour ? There are persons in Te Aroha who would willingly take up the land referred to if it was forfeited by the Crown Lands Board, and who would comply with the conditions under which. these village settlements are formed.