CHEEP PERVISIONS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 129, 28 July 1870, Page 6

CHEEP PERVISIONS.

(To the Editor of the Timpeka Times.) A few munths ago our local draper, who's trade, I may stait, was bein' gradually drawn from him, so that he wood 'aye to- leeve this plase hin the '-ands of the Filestines, saw the turn things, was takeing, and knowing how we were fearfully (that is the miledest wurd I kan find to hexpres it) overcharged by the storekeepers — who, by the way, are all._ more or- less, " under the influence" of what may be termed a Head Centre, who has the regulating of the prises that they must charge, and as the supplies, cum. from the H. 0. veferred to, yer- may be sure were put pn heavy enough — determined to bring down this wolesale raunopoly. Before he started, it used to cost us from 255. to 30s. a week to live ; it only costs now, for the same livin', from 14s. to 1,7s. — that, I think, specks for itself. Articles that used to cost us 2s. are now offered for Is. — only 100 per cent, less, which is not much these times. If the public wish to have their necks in the old yoke again, let them not suport the man who has brought the things down to a fare and reasonable prise. It was reported that our ex-measurer of tapes, &c, before givin' battel, made sum overtures, which, luckily ror the peeple here, were not exceptcd, as they thought they were too strong in their union for anyone- to-, try their strength against them. It is whispered that it cannot last long, and the weekest must go to the wall. Time, I suppose, will I>ry all. — Yours, &c, Mite. Waipori, July 20th, 1870. MEMOKIAL FliOM AGEICTTLTURAL LEASEHOLDERS IN TEE TUAJPEKA DISTRICT TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. To. the Honourable the House of Representatives; of New Zealand in Parliament assembled. The Memorial of the undersigned settlers in the Tuapeka district, in the Province of Otago, humbly sheweth — 1. That jojar Memorialists are settlers in the Tuapeka district, and most of them engaged in agricultural pursuits. 2. The industry in which your Memorialists are engaged has been for a long time passed in, a state of great depression. 3. The system; of leasing land for agricultural purposes under the provisions of the (Mdfields Act, 1866, is in" force in this district, and your Memorialists, therefore, are uijable to obtain land on su,ch favourable terms as the residents of districts not included within goldfields, as. your Memorialists are required to : pay a rent of two. shillings! aud sixpence per acre for three years, as well as the cost of survey, and also to plant, cultivate, or otherwise improve two-thirds ©f the same before they are entitled ISO- purchase the fee simple. 4. Residents in districts outside of goldfields can purchase the land in fee sipiple at once at the upset price of aoe pound per acre. & The knd in the Tuapeka district, $pd oa the goldfields generally, is of j)oorer quality, less fitted for agricul ijpre, and more expensive to work 'loathe land within Hundreds ;, and of its being a considerable

distance from any large centre of population, the expense of sending the produce to market is very much greater than residents in more favoured districts have to bear; consequently the agriculturists in this district cannot compete with agriculturists in the districts outside the goldfields, Your Memorialists respectfully submit that as the restrictions under which land is alienated from the Crown under the system of agricultural leases are not specially for the benefit of the agriculturalist, but to prevent auriferous land being alienated, and that as they deserve no special advantages from their location within goldfields in any other way, it would only be fair and equitable to provide by law that the amount of rent which they are required to pay before being placed in a position to obtain their holdings in fee shnple should be deemed to be a portion of the purchase-money of the said land, and should be deducted from the amount of £1 an acre, payable at the time of such purchase. Your Memorialists submit that such a provision would tend greatly to stimulate agricultural settlement on the goldfields. Your- Memoralists pray that your Honourable House will be pleased to take the premises into its favourable consideration, and grant such relief as to your wisdom shall seem best. And your Memorialists will ever pray. (Here follows 251 signatures.)