Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDB REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1871. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 337, 11 March 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times AND GOLDFIELDB REPORTER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 1871. "MEASURES, NOT MEN."

If we again call the attention of our readers to the question of the disposal of our waste lands, it is because we feel it to be a vital one. We are not warranted, perhaps, in saying that the Government has taken the method they have adopted for the purpose of playing into the hands of speculators and capitalists ; but we do say they could not have pursued, a more effective method of doing so. Blocks of land are set aside, surveyed, and paraded before the whole co\mtry for the purpose of settlement, but hitherto that end has been completely frustrated. According to present arrangements, the runholder may apply for the land along with others, and in the event of duplicate applications, the land is to be put up to auction ; and it has invariably happened that most, if not all of it, has fallen into the hands of the monopolist, and the industrious plodding colonist, who would settle on the land were the terms within his reach, is discouraged, and seeks somewhere else a better scope for his energies. There are numbers hungering for the land, but have only means enough to put up a home upon it, and fence in a few acres for immediate cropping. On the principle of deferred payments, the land could be easily theirs ; but to pay for it right off would take from them what was necessary to fence and stock their section. Now, in every case in which laud for settlement is brought to the hammer, it has invariably fallen into the hands of the very parties the Government professed not to want as purchasers. The examples of this have now been so numerous that we feel ourselves called upon to protest in strong language against its repetition The estate of the country fit for settlement is being alienated bit by bit. And at present there is not the shadow of excuse for it. At the time the MoaFlatßlock was so shamelessly alienated from the people, the Government had the excuse which spenthrifts have, that of necessity. It was said they had a large overdraft at the bank, and it refused to countenance them any further in their reckless extravagance ; but now no such excuse can be urged. The country is prosperous and the treasury full. To continue, therefore, this wholesale disposal of lands, fitted to become homes smiling with plenty, is to betray the interests of -the community. It is time to arrest this career of folly, and enter upon a wiser course. It will not do any longer for the Superintendent and his advisers, after the result of the Glenkenich sale, to affect ignorance in this matter, and still adhere to the delusion that the land will be eagerly competed for when put up to public sale. The whole of the block, to which the Superintendent's remark applied, has fallen into the hands of one man. Had the Superintendent any data fromwhich lie spoke when he thus represented the matter 1 If not, it is soar.cely fitting that a man in his Honor's official position should act on his own impressions. In replying to deputations, as he did in- this case, he ought to have data to

warrant his conclusions , if, without data, hiß reply was unworthy of him. Hence, we think, the thanks of the people of this district are due to the deputation from Tapanui for so forcibly pointing out to hjs Honor what the results of this sale of land in blocks would come to, and for setting us an example of action, and the kind of it, in reference to the impending sale of land on Bellamy Hundred. It will not be to the credit of the people of Lawrence to allow this projected sale to go on without protest. The land to be sold surrounds that on deferred payments. The professed object of the Government in this arrangement is to allow parties taking up land on deferred payments to purchase sections adjoining, such as they may have taken up on that principle. But after the example of Glenkenich, we had better awake to consider what the results are likely to be. Better that a strong representation be made at once to the Government to abandon the project of a sale, and to lend ourselves earnestly to forward the opening up of the land on deferred payments. 5000 acres are set aside in this district on this principle this year ; and, according to the present law, when the half of that is disposed of, another block may bo sftt aside the following year. Botter have the land left to be disposed of in this way entirely ; and if that be too slow for the wants of the community, until a more liberal measure be passed, why, there is the leasing system, which, notwithstanding, defects, ha 3 wrought well for the country. It has reserved land, at least, for people as they wanted it, and has bean a barrier in the way of speculators. It did not pay speculators to have to pay 2s. 6d. a-year on an acre of laud yielding no return. But what we want is more laud on deferred payments, and the land deemed suitable for settlement to be kept to be disposed or lv iiica way. At the same time, we should go in f->r «. mure liberal .allowance than a maximum or 200 acres Nothing less than the Victorian measure ought to satisfy us— i.e., a maximum of 320 acres of good land, and 640 acres of inferior land. The prosperity of our rising township depends in no small degree upon the surrounding country. It -will make us look extremely foolish to have clamored for this land for so many years, and when within attainment of it to allow it to slip past the parties we wanted it for, into the hands of those who will indefinitely post, pone the land settlement and our prosperity with it. We trust, therefore, that steps will be taken immediately to lay the matter before the Government, and have the land reserved for disposal on deferred payments. No time must be lost. By timely action, the Government may be kept from committing themselves to a c mrse of action from which they cannot recede.