IDLE CROWN LANDS BETWEEN PONGAKAWA AND ROTORUA.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 482, 2 September 1899, Page 3

IDLE CROWN LANDS BETWEEN PONGAKAWA AND ROTORUA.

the present government as landowners herk are a TERRIBLE CURSE. TO THE KDITOB. Sir, —Will you please grant me space through your columns to show facts how the Government have deluded the public by their continually denouncing of large landowners as " social pests," also saying it is necessary to pass legislation to compulsorily take private estates for closer settlement, thus destroying freehold and every land tenure, when at the same time between here and Rotorua alone they have for nine years kept nearly 100,000 acres of first and second class Crown lands totally idle, land that takes and holds grasses well suitable for both agricultural and pastoral purposes ; also pronounced by both the Government fruit experts as being the finest land and climate in the colony for growing orances, lemons, vines and all other fruits. For nine years the Government have untruthfully said they have no money to open these Crown lands for settlement, yet during that time they have not hesitated to plunge the colony into an immense debt unnecessarily buy ing private estates south; and they have spent nearly £60,000 for roading. etc., these private estates ; but the Crown estates that they were placed in office and have been paid big salaries to control, they will neither open up uor survey. A block of 14,950 acres " Second Class jH ■ been thrown open as " unj| Kklaml" (as pur Map No. 460). es tates versus Crown lands novi<i>\ v :Jently. If the welfaro and progress of the colony is to be considered at all, every acre of land should at ODce be taken from the control of the Government, for as landowners here they are a

moat terrible curse. Not only are they keeping the Crown lands idle, but they have locked up the native lands also. No private landowner would so have stopped settlement and progress as the Government have here for nine yoars.— I am, etc.,

S. Law ford, Pongakuwa, August 2Sth, 1599.

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