Waikakihi Settlement.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 277, 1 November 1902, Page 3

Waikakihi Settlement.

A GRIEVANCE

On Thursday afternoon two deputations waited on the Land Commissioners at the Courthouse, both being from the Waikakahi settlers. The first deputation consisted of six settlers, Mr Barnett being the spokesman. The deputation pointed out that the conditions re cropping were not calculated by the settlers to be in the interests of either their holdings or themselves, and asked the Commissioners that some competent person be appointed to say what land might, with no injury to the land and with great monetary benefit to settlers, be cropped more than tbe present regulations permitted. The deputation considered that they were being harshly treated in this respect, as owing to the recent floods some of them had suffered considerably. The Chief Commissioner said that it was the board that was suffering harsh treatment from the settlers. The Board would be pleased to work in harmony with them, but settlers were not so inclined, or surely they would approach and ask the Board to relax the conditions before taking the law into their own hands and ignoring that there was such a body aa the Board in existence. They pointed out to the settlers a number of examples of breach of the conditions", in fact out of 53 cases reported on by the ranger 42 had broken the cropping conditions. One settler who had 100 acres had, in 1901, seven acres in grass and 57 in its third crop. In 1902 he had seven acres in grass, 16 acres in a third and 51 acres in a fourth crop. Another with 100 acres had 15 acres in grass in 1901 and 40 acres in its third crop, and in 1902 15 acres in grass. This case was not yet settled. A third of between 90 and 100 acres had nona in grass in 1901 and 20 acres in third crop, and in 1902, 20 acres in grass and 35 acres in a fourth crop. A fourth with about 80 acres had 7 in grass in 1901 and in 1902 none in grass and 57 acres in a third crop. A fifth with 90 acres had 22 acres in a third crop in 1902; a sixth with a similar area had none in grass in 1901 and 15 in third crop. A seventh with 120 acres had none in grass in 1901 and 45 in third crop, and in 1902, 23 acres in grass, 39 in third crop, and 45 in fourth crop. How- | ever, the Board promised to consider tbe deputation's petition. The deputation thanked the Commissioners and withdrew.