THE PUKETOI

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1941, 17 March 1885, Page 2

THE PUKETOI

'•' (To the Editor.) .Sir,—l read in the Star of February 26th a long article on Messrs Beetliam's land purchase .in the Puketoi, and fail to see the injustice of the land being sold in a five Or six thousand aero blgck. ' It appears to;meTiiLapt illustration of tho old -fabkvof' "The dog in the manger." Your contemporary's arguments in favor of opening by-roads and leasing small ■areas on deferred. payments are against common sense, as the increased' price of land (if sold) at 30s o'r~£2 per acre would be swallowed up by survey and engineering expenses. In all probability the block would have been ..unoccupied still, had not Messrs Beetham using their local knowledge thought it worth acquiring. When wo read of heavy bush land in an outlying district realizing "40s per acre" we know the idea comeß from an unpractical source, but it tends to mislead people, who, were the matter fully explained would see that Messrs Beetham by occupy, iug this 5 or 6000 acres have benefited the whole community more than 20 or 30 families settled on tho land, we assume, without means oi experience. For small farm settlements to be profitable the land must be good and accessible so that the farmer may readily turn his produce to account at all times and seasons, The enormous expense incurred in reclaiming bush landmakesitanythingbuta profitable investment for the man of small means especially with present prices of stock and wool, the only income to be obtained from bush land for many years. In my opinion well conditioned sheep and cattle on the Puketoi will domore good for the country' than "scabby sheep" and dense bush. Had it-not been for the enterprise shown by the firm who have acquired it, the block would no doubt be a terra incognita. Your contemperary seems merely trying to stir up that ill feeling between the large and small holder which should not exist. Each are necessary, and ask any practical working man what firm does the most good for the Wajrarapa, I dpnt think I'm wrong in saying, there would be but ono voice in reply, "Beetham and Williams," I am &c, A-County Settler,