CORRESPONDENCE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2021, 20 June 1885, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

(To THE EdITOK.') Sib,-My attention has boen drawn to a loader of the Wairarapa Star, which'' seems to be kindly devoted to a panegyric on myself. If the editor of the Star understood the Land Act, ho would see that I was right in entering;my. protest against the Board's action. The 2nd clause of the Amondment Act, 1882, relates to the setting apart of rural land fur leasing. In this clause there, is a proviso, viz., "Provided that there shall never be open for leasing under this Act at any one timo, in any one district, an area greater than one third of tho area of agricultural land then open for sale in such district." When Mr Bunny "That all lands open for sale for A should be withdrawn," 1 drew attention to this proviso, and pointed that the effect of. adopting his resolution would bo that, for three montlis, no leasehold land could bo offered to- the public; but my protest was unheeded, and, if the Government adopt the Board's suggestion, as far as I can read the Act, six months must'elapse before any land, either for sale by cash or under the leasing provisions, can be offered to the public. ' Three months notice must be givon before cash sales could again be made,' after tho expiration of the , three months • included in Mr Bunny's motion.' Mr \ Bunny and MrMcCardle could not plead ' ignorance, because-1 pointed out the clause to them. Where land b in such a situation, or of such quality as to render it suitable for either leasing or deferred payment, I have always gladly agreed to offering sections under the two lattor 1 ' systems. And, as I pointed out at the Board meeting, the clauses in, the Land Act that I. myself'.had been fortunate enough to be the means of passing through the Legislature, that provide for the return of 25 per cent of the purj&yie money in one case, and one-third .ilpo other to the local bodies, are a; «!tat' incentive to .induce me to recommend the leasehold ,and deferred There are, however, niany cases : 'wh£rV 1! land exists that era not profitably^ ; be' ' occupied, unless at least an area from' 1,000 to 2,000 acres can be|obtainedib.y an intending settler.-' I-alludeto those casea where .settlers have;: if they occupy at all, to make their : own roads, &c. Two ' days after the resolution was passed, Mr '-- Hursthouse introduced two men Nelson to the Crown Lands Commissioner,*

both anxious for land, and possessing between £3,000 or £4,000 each, Tlu answer was "All land withdrawn," I main tain that, pending some other form o: legislation, with respect to the rougl aniMjtaaccessible portions of our landcc est™that we ought to have been in i position ty welcome fellow-workers ant fellow-settlers, instead of, as a Board, , gratifying an unreasoning fad—l can'i call it anything else. I have been in communication with Mr Ballancc, and am ~ aware that he intends to introduce n measure this session that will enable the Board to grant land (jn leaso in sucli V localities as thoso I have indicated. 1 shall be glad to assist Mr Ballnnee in extendingtheperpetual leasing provisions. If the area of blocks offered can be fixed by the Land Board at from 1,000 to 10,000, according to quality and locality, I believe that satisfactory settlements will probably be the result. If such will lie the result of the measure before I lie House, tho necessity for cash sales will not be so obvious. I am, &c., Geohge Beetiiam.