The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1881.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 915, 2 November 1881, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1881.

The land for the people is a favorite cry during the present election contests, and there are many advocates for some alteration in the existing land tenure, so that big estates may be burst up aid divided among small proprietors. There may be a time come some day in the history of New Zealand when the legitimate demand of small occupiers for land may render it necessary for Parliament to limit the amount of territory which any one person may be allowed to hold, but we scarcely think that such a contingency is at all probable. There has been in the past, and there always will be in the future, a tendency on the part ef large holders of property to sub-divide their lands, whenever it pays them to do so. The land market, however, has been glutted for many years, and when any considerable number of small farm sections are offered to the public they prove to be unsaleable. When the Hon John Martin split up Huangarua ho found, it impossible to sell one tenth of the farms he had mapped out on this property, and yet the prices he demanded were fair, and the terms of payment exceptionally easy. People forget tiiat thought everybody desires land, though every man has a snug farm as a sort of" Castle in tho air" in which he delights, nine men out of ten are unfit to settle on land, from want of a suitable training, How often has not any observant person noticed

! a professional man a mechanic or a ; tradesman give up the calling in which ' lie has been engaged and invest his means in land, with the inevitable , result of finding himself after a shorter ■ or longer interval cured of his land mania by bitter experieaceij—br the loss of his time and his capital, If a ' farmer were to commence business as a blacksmith, a tailor, or a baker, and had no previous experience of either business he would not bo expeeted to succeed, and yet some people imagine that ft blacksmith, a tailor, or a baker, may go straight pn to a farm and make a living off it, The row who have succeeded on land are those who have served an apprenticeship to agricultural and pastoral pursuits, men who have a practical knowledge of their business, and are physically fit for the life they lead., wNo one has been more solicitous' than ourselves for encouraging the settlement of people on land. For fifteen years past we have observed the conditions under which small settlements prosper, and we have been pleased to recognise that the present Ministry understand these conditions, and in selling land on deferred pay. ments adhere to them. There have never been more favorable opportunities than there an now for people to settle on the soil. Good land is obtainable in all directions at fair prices and on easy terms, Anyone who is fit to occupy and improve land, or who is capable of making himself fit for such a task need not trouble himself about politics, his way is clear before him. It is true there are some who dream that they will get land for nothing, have money advanced them with which to build houses and buy stock, when large estates are burst up, and they become the virtual rulers of the country. No arguments will convince such men that a thing which is worth having is worth paying for, and that anything in the shape of land, buildings, and stock must be paid for sooner or later by the man who acquires them, We would gladly see men generally turning their thoughts in a practical earnest manner to the question of settling on land, The principal difficulties which they have to contend with are not obtaining possession of the soil under fair conditions, but their unfitness for turning it to a profitable aocount, They may allow themselves to be persuaded that the fault rests with the Government, but if they ask any man who has succeeded with land he will tell them that it is the personal fitness of the settler for making a living off the soil, which is the real arbiter of his fortunes as o farmer. One man with a nominal capita} jnay go on Jand and. do well, anQ.ther-withf large may go :pn land and do badly. Thiß has always beep the case

Tenders are. invited for formation' and repairs to the Blairlogie road. ■ < Tho San Pranoisco mail closes at Mastirton on Saturday morning at 0 o'clock.

A general, rise in the price of timber in Auckland has been occasioned by tho action of the timber companies.

We are requested to remind members of the Masterton Borough Orieket that the usual practice will take place in Mr Drummond's paddock to-day at 4 o'clock. Members are requested to attend.

The Kaiapoi Woolen Manufactory exhibits will be one of the prinoipal attractions at the Pastoral Show to-morrow.

A meeting of the Vestry of St Mark's Church, Carterton, takes place this evening at the Sunday School room at- 7.30 p;m,

Messrs M. Caselberg & Co., announces in their columns on our front page and also in our Supplementary sheet, an entirely fresh departure in their mode of conducting business. They have issued a price list made up on co-operative principles, and the reductions in every department are of a substantial oharacter. The chief feature of the system is that tho quick return of cash enables customers to secure the valne of the money which, under the old system, used to be lost through bad debts and long credit. We need not criticise the list which has been handed to us, as everyone will no doubt carefully peruse it, and the cash system commends itself.

We have received the first number of the Era, a new Wellington newspaper, intended to give an interesting weekly summary of news. From a typographical point of view it is an admirable production.

Mr John Williams • advertises tor contractors for building a house at Tiraumea.

Messrs P. H. Wood & Co,, are instructed, owing to the ill-health of" Mr ,Wakelin, to sell the good-will, plant, and lease, of the Wairarapa Standard. The Annual General Meeting of the Wairarapa Caledonian Society is convened for this afternoon, Mr Or. Beethavn's invitation to the electors to meet him in the Town Hall this evening and hear his views, is sure to meet with a .hearty response, and we look forward to seeing a roll house assembled.

Extra trains leave Masterton at 9.30 a.m. and 11 a,in,, for the Pastoral Show to-morrow, returning from Carterton at 6.15 p.m., and single tickets will be available for the journey. There will also be an excursion train from Wellington With these facilities for locomotion, there should be a large assemblage of visitors' from all parts of the district. The admission to the Show ground after noon will be one shilling. Now is the season for transplanting flowers. In viow of this Kapp & Hare, of the Emporium, have purchased 100 dozen Flower Pots, all Bizes, which they are selling at Wellington prices.—[Ab.]

The Kaiapoi Tweeds are usually made up in tailoring establishments for £4 or £6, but by getting them made up at tho mill in large quantities enables me to sell the same goods at £2 15s and £3 15s, My stock of shirts, hats, hosiery, &c.,is of the very best description, and will repay inspection, Orders from any part of the country will be punctually attended to.—Alex. Sample, Willis-street, Wellington,

It is a fact that Messrs Gardener and Son sold last season more sheep shears than the whole of the Wairarapa storekeepers combined, and this season it is their intention to offer the 100 dozen pah's which thgy have imported at less thaji Wellington wholesale prices. We cannot understand how this well-known firm sell all their goods so wonderfully cheap? Their stock is splendidly assorted, and we would call special attention to their mag nificent stock of drapery, which surpasses any we have yet seen in the Wairarapa. [Anvi.l