The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1888. TOO MUCH SHOP.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1767, 24 July 1888, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1888. TOO MUCH SHOP.

“ Too much shop,” Major Dane—an American lecturer —said was the cause of a great deal of the depression in this colony. He was right to a certain extent; every business is overdone in this colony, but it is not altogether the fault of the people. They must do something for a living, and there is nothing else for them to do. It is no use to talk about settling on the land; they cannot get it to settle on, and those who have it hare no intention of parting with it. In 1886-7 the Hon. Mr Ballance took from the lamp posts of the North Island the unemployed, and settled them on the land, and because he spent a few pounds in that way he was denounced from end to end of the colony. The general elections resulted in his defeat; all his effoits at, land settlement were upset, and a new Land Act was passed, making free selections before survey the law of the land, r i he object of this was t«> play into the bauds of land-sharks and money-rings. They know the run of the ropes; they know how to “ tip “ commission agents and surveyors, who can.point out to them the land that is worth buying, and thus they get possession of it. The honafide settler has not the slightest chance against these harpies; he does not know how

to go about getting the necejsarj information; he has not time to travel the country and select for himself, and even if he had he would require the services of a guide. Free selection before survey therefore plays directly into the hands of the land speculator. He secures under it anything worth having, and retains possession of t until he meets someone with a little money, to whom he sells it at a premium of 100, In many instances the unfortunate purchaser has not sufficient money, but the speculator never troubles about that. He takes all the man has, and secures himself by means of a mortgage, and either the purchaser: becomes his slave or he fails, and the land falls back into the original hands. Mr Ballance’s perpetual .leasing system destroyed speculation in land. It gave the people an opportunity of settling down as agriculturists on terms extraordinarily favorable to themselves and to the Government, but the work which Mr. Ballance did during his short term of office has been greatly marred by the efforts of the conceited little prig who now occupies the same position, and who is doing his best to play into the hands of the speculators. It is true that in spite of him large numbers prefer the leasing system, but he has done his best to destroy it. ■ The people would settle on the land if they could get,it. Up to 1884 the cry of tbe Atkinson party, was —and it was generally accepted as true —that the people would not settle on the land if they got it . for nothing. The success of Mr Ballahce’s administration gave the lie direct to this. He settled “ all sorts and conditions of men ” on the land, and though it was prophecied his scheme would fail his greatest opponents have had to, admit. that it has been a success. At present there are laage numbers of men looking out for suitable farms, but they cannot get them. ■ W« have been told by a land agent that he could sell any number of farms now if he could get them for sale, but they are not to be had except at ruinous prices. We know of several who hare tried to negotiate with some money-lending corporations for the purchase of farms which they say they have fbr sale, but they would not even put a price on them. We may as well open our eyes to the faefc. These people do not want to sell ; they want to stick to the land until they can “ boom.” it, which means ruinous prices to the purchasers, followed by another season of depression and bankruptcy. It is not the fault of the people that there is “ too much shop.” As wo have said, they must do something, and if they cannot settle in the country they must settle in the,-towns. Mr Ballance’s Land Acquisition Bill would have remedied this, but the stupid electors of this colony voted against it, and now if there is “ too much shop ” and too much misery they deserve it, for it is of their own making.