TUAPEKA LAND LEAGUE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume I, Issue 50, 23 January 1869, Page 2

TUAPEKA LAND LEAGUE.

DEPUTATION TO THE SUPEEHfTENDEKT. (From the "Daily Times.") The Deputation (Messrs. Brown, Bastings, and Cormack) presented the memorial of the League to his Honor the Superintendent, on Thursday. The memorial was six and a half yards long, and had 470 signatures appended. After the memorial, with which mostef our readerrs are acquainted, was read, Mr. Bastings stated that the memorial was signed by 470 persons, and that the matter with which it dealt had engaged the attention of a large section of the press, which was, almost without exception, favorable to the views of the League. There was, however, >an exception, and that section of the Fourth Estate had said that the League had been got up- by a number of political agitators and land sharks, who were only desirous of getting the land into their own possession. This he had no hesstation in pronouncingfalse, nor did he know a single individual connected with the League who was not actuated by the best motives — namely, those of placing the people on the land. It was certain that unless something were done in the direction pointed out by the memorial, and that speedily, in order to keep the people, Tuapeka would ere long be depopulated. As it was, there were many persons of means residing, in the district, whose great desire it was to settle on the land, but who could find no facilities for doing so. The memorial, he would observe, was signed by 470 parsons of whom over 300 were miners — bona fick miners — who were disposed to settle ; and as most of them were men of means, it would be a blessing to the country to keep them in it. They were men who- thought they had the elements of success within themselves, if they could grow their ewn wheat and raise their own. cattle. Had the Government offered them facilities six years ago, they would have settled then ; but he feared that if the present system continued, and America- and other places offered such inducements as they were hanging out, Tuapeka would soon lose the adult population, and the country become a sheep walk. The League entertained no hostile feelings towards the squatters, who occupied the country, and were fully aware of their right to compensation for being deprivedof runs. With regard to that compensation, it, might be asked where the money was to come from; but he did not think that was a matter for the League to consider. Surely the Government, having in view the prospective increased revenue from the sources which settlement would create, could easily settle that. Much had been done in New Zea^ land to induce immigration^ by means of tracts, lectures, and otherwise, but surely it must be conceded that it would be much better to retain men who were attached to the country, and who looked upon it as their home, than to induce strangers to come. He thought there was little need to say much, more on .the subject to, his Honour, who had always said, " The land for the Wrple, and the people for the land," had the interest of the Provin<^^^«ich at heart. He might, howevt^^^^Bhat the memorial had been signcd^^^^Hh^ living within a radius ofthj^^^^^Hho felt .an interest in the flß^^^^^^^^Bid signed the document asked J-liat was the mentioned. me total area 137 was mention that of tie 'League ne

Judging from the compensation then being paid, he was of opinion that it would lake about L 20,000. For instance, Mr. Smith got 2s. 6d per acre as Compensation, for hislease, which had only two yean torun. .Now these lease*, iii addition to the term of^he- present leases, would have ten years more to "run, and if submitted to arbitration the compensation, would probably be fixed at 4s. or ss. per' acre, which would bring it up to about L 16,000. But that was not all ; there were seme- places that had no commonage at all, these, too,' were applying, and suppose they each only got half as much as Tuapeka already had, he could see very dearly that they would take L5Q,00Q,, which, with L 20,000 for these three runs, would amount to L 70,000. Now where werethey toget L 70,000 except by borrowing? They might reply that they Sad" nothing to do with other places j but whilst they-Jiad 95,000 acres, and other places nothing, it was hardly equitable to give them more, and not to give to the other places at all. He quite admitted that it would be to the interest of the province that their area should be doubled, but justice must be done to others as well. They were beginning to reap the fruits of the Land Act, which he had always opposed. He had, in some parts of the country, been credited with passing it, or being a party to passing; it ; but he took that opportunity of stating publicly that he had always done- his best to prevent its passing ; but pass it did, and now they began to feel its effects. With regard to the subject of the leases*, they were granted before he took office, and he had therefore nothing to do with them. He thought the whole matter was one for' the Council to deal with, more particularly the question of how to raise the necessary money. Mr. Bastings fully recognised the claims of other places and asked His Honour whether he thought the Government would be favourably disposed towards raising money for the payment of these compensations, seeing that the good, of the country was involved to so great an extent in their doing so. The Superintendent replied, that he could only speak for himself,, but thought that it was. exceedingly desirable to-in-duce settlement in the country. Mr. Corxnack pointed out that if these 66,000 acres were added, to. the commonage of the Tuapeka district, it could only be productive of increased revenue, asmuch, of the land would be settled on by miners- who, in addition to their own calling, would turn their attention to the .breeding of cattle. . In fact, four fifths of, 'the miners were possessed of cattle already. The Superintendent said that hewished to impress on the deputation that the Executive were not to blame in the matter. It was the state of the law o£ which ;they hadi season to> complain. The law had been framed) andi passed^ and the Executive had only to see that itwas earned out. Mr.Baetings said that it. was the opinion in every place in the country that the Executive were in favor of the--general principle of extending settlement, on the land, and there could be no doubtthat i* would give a good return for the>jnoney expended with, that object. The Superintendent said there was nodoubt that the returns, from, agricultural land would be more than four time/ those from pastoral, although the statements asto the present returns from the three runs* under discussion was no criterion, as they would probably, pay more when their present leases were determined. Mr. Bastings remarked that if the land" were thrown open , there would very soon be 400 or 500 families' settled upon it, who* would most probably many of them or all send home for their friends, a better way, of populating the district than by the Government system of immigration. The Superintendent said that the figures which he had mentioned for compensation were very startling. £70,000 was a very large sum to- pay for providing commons, for the goldfields. Mr. Brown said that 15,006 acres had been withdrawn in the district of Tuapeka,. on which intended to realise. Could not , the amount raised from that be used to paycompensation ? He would suggest that similar means might be adopted all over the country. There were three millions of acres of land on the goldfields, and out of that only 105,000 acres had been actuallyreserved. It appeared to him that a large portion of the remainder might be thrown. , open for sale, and the money applied toextinguish the rights of runholders. As- , sumingthem to have 95,000 acres, they , could put five times as much stock upon it , as was at present on the three. r runs of 66,000 acres. There could I be no doubt that,if commonage were ex- . tended, there would be more applications i |>for depasture. y As it was, they had not i I BufficisHfc gflSiTfor their stock, and had,' latougequeSßta^ fat cattle in the district: 3OOor4oO^amaies

to find out the 6b»t « compensating the holders of the three run*, so that it would be possible to brirg the matter up in a definite form atithe next meeting o^tke Council. .; J J.J.ZV. -U - / The Superintendent said all that could be done would be to bring up an approximat^B^viation. j thought that on the general question, thff settlers who were likely to take up land ought to be consulted: Some blocks had turned out nearly useless, and in one case a great part of the land reserved was found to be nothing but a bed of shingle. The Superintendent said that so far aa the object of the memorial was concerned he could promise nothing, except that he would not atand in its way. It had his concurrence, and the difficulty he foresaw they would have to grapple with would be that of raising the large amount of money necessary to pay compensation. Mr. Bastings suggested that if the deputation knew whether the Executive would support the object of the memorial or not, they would know how to act : if so, well and good, if not, they would bring an amount of influence to bear upon it with regard to the subject. The Superintendent said there could not be two opinions as to the desirability of settlement, yet, at the same time, they jnust not forget that there was a large monetary difficulty in the way. He. promised that they should get an official answer to their memorial, and that he would convey to the members of the Council their wish about an expression of opinion from that bodyt The deputation thanked Ms Honour for "the courtesy with which he had received them, and withdrew.