CLOSER SETTLEMENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9058, 18 February 1908, Page 5

CLOSER SETTLEMENT.

PETITION TO PURCHASE ICA

AND BOWLANDS

The signatures to the petition to be presented to the Minister of Lands (Hon. R. McNab) praying for the acquisition of lea and Bowlands stations already number nearly five hundred. The text of the petition is as follows: — "We, the undersigned members of the farming community and residents of Masterton and the surrounding district, hereby beg to draw your attention to the fact that the Masterton district has not, s;o far, had any large estates re-purchased under the Lands for Settlement Act, And, further, we hereby beg to petition you to immediately acquire the lea station, situated in Castlepoint County, on the banks of the Whareama Rivei, and abutting on the coast line, and containing about 18,000 acres of agricultural and pastoral land. The estate belonged to the late Rev. J. C. Andrew, and is practically in a state of nature. It is admirably adapted for subdividing into sections of from 100 to 600 acres, One bridge across the Whareama will be required, and about ten miles of easy road formation at a cost of about £I,OOO for the bridge and £2,000 for road formation Therefore the estate will not require being heavily weighted for roads, bridges, etc. We pray that you will also repurchase Bowlands Station, abutting on the Upper Taueru and Mangapakeha roads, and situated in the Masterton County, and containing about 12,000 acres, and belonging to Messrs Levin Bros. This estate is suitable for subdivision into sections of from 300 acres to 500 acres each, and will not require a great outlay on roads." Ica station has nine or ten miles of frontage to the Whareama River, about half of which is in the tidal reaches. It is situated within about an hour and a-half's mo toe run from Masterton. It will be represented to the Minister that the Whareama locality is the makings of a splendid watering place, and that the making of a road through native property adjoining the mouth (which could be easily accomplished, as the native owners are willing to grant the same), would open the river to the public.