VILLAGE SETTLEMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2283, 21 November 1891, Page 2

VILLAGE SETTLEMENT.

TO THK EDI’JV.IL Sir, —Will you kindly give mo space hi your paper to make a few remarks ou what Mr Rolleston said at his banquet. He said the village settlements were his proposals, and Mr Peacock’s, and Sir John Hall’s. Now I cannot conceive, unless it is the deferred payment village settlements, what he means. If so he has pimped my claim. lam the father of the deferred payment system. I got up the first petition re deferred-payment and sent it to Mr Wakefield; it was his Bill, and not Mr Rolleston’s. His village settlements, where are they? Waimate a thing of the past, Timaru the same, Winchester a skeleton, Geraldine and Woodbury gone and forgotton. The only place left, to my knowledge, of Mr Rolleston’s settlements is Arowhenua. This was begun in 1874, and the Government lent the settlers £lO each to buy the timber, and they were to live one year free, and then pay two shillings a week for two years to pay back the £lO. They did that, and then the people wanted to know how they were going on. Then they were told to keep paying the i two shillings a week. They inquired of-''^ k everyone in authority, but could not get any satisfactory answer, and then they came to the conclusion to held a meeting. Twenty-nine settlers came, and we signed the petition and sent it to Mr Wakefield, and he brought into the House the Bill on deferred payment, and it was passed. Now I cannot see in what way Mr Ilolleston has any claim to the village settlements whatever; yet lie would like « to claim them, but they are Mr G. Edgolor’s and Mr Wakefield’s, and not a peacock’s feather in it. The Govern- ' ment had not thought of deferred pay-.

ment, or they would not have left those people for more than two years agitating and not paying rout. The people know the Government could not turn them out. The posts and wire in the fences and the wood and doors and windows belonged to them. If Mr Rolleston claims the deferred payment system How was it he did not extend it to Winchester to our shipmates'/ It is only about three miles distant. I think the people will see that Mr Rolleston's claim is bunkum. How Mr P.olle3ton can be ashamed of the laborers I cannot think. It is through them that he was put in the best possession he ever had. Hoping, Mr Editor, you will allow a space in your Taluable paper for one that is fond of jackdaw's olumes, I am., &c, G. Edobler, B.G.C.A.