EKETAHUNA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2078, 26 August 1885, Page 2

EKETAHUNA.

About 50 settlers assembled in the schoolroom on Saturday evening to hear Mr McCardlo'n proposals re opening up of Crown Lands. Mr Alex. Anderson (in the chair), said the subjeot betore the meeting was a most important one, and he felt sure that any proposal, which had for its object to open up Crown Lauds in a more satisfactory manner than at present existed would be most heartily agreed to by the meeting,

Mr McCardle said the question he was bringing before the meeting was a most important and colonial a one. He had been- instrumental in bringing the settlement of land on tho deferred payment system into force. That system, with the perpetual leasing system, had been found most successful, and would be still more beneficial if proper roads could be made to the land. At present the Wasto Lands Board was getting money, in dribbles to form a mile of road here and another there. The consequence of that was that before the land was settled these bits of road were going to rack and ruin, Parliament voted about £IOO,OOO a year for opening up Crown Lands. Of this j Bum the Wellington Board was receiving about LSOOO. In addition to this | thuy receive oue third from' che instalments of deferred payment sections, and 25 per cent from the perpetual lease sections, Money received from theso two sources did not amount to much each year; but it wouldbeaconsiderable sum if given in a lump sum instead of in yearly instalments. Mr Marchant had told him that in the Wellington province there were 650,000 acres fit for deferred payment and leasehold settlement, which land would be worth on anavorage£l per acre. The deferred payment thirds, and the 25 per cent from the leasehold from this 550,000 acres, including the annual vote of Parliament, would amount to £356,639. His proposal now was to takehalf of the deferred payment instalments which would amount to £122,250, and £122,250 from the leases, altogether and allow the Land Board to borrow this amount on the security of the land. This would show a considerable saving in the long run, and the Crown lands could be opened in a more satisfactory manner. He proposed that all roads should be felled 5-chains wide, stumped in the centre, and laid down in grass, Then the lands could be sold, and the work of forming the roadi permanently would com*

muos, so that th« settlers woiild bo provided with work. The bush-felling he •would make a charge on the his scheme was adopted, i' 7 per cifipf Would be available foi road-making. This would perhaps not be quite enough, - but . would go a long way towards making good roads. He would even like to go further and say that not a penny derived from tho land should leave the district; that would be far better than subsidies to,local bodies! He would feel most happy in answering questions asked him.

• . .'Mr Von Reden then said that he quite agreed with Mr McCardle that money must be borrowed to open up Crown Lands, but ho had a doubt whether the Waste Lands Board was the proper body .to ; be invested with so much power. The 'Lands Board, as at present constituted, consisted of a' Chairman, (a Goverwint s#anfc), and nominees by the Governor. It was admitted an all sides that tlio land belonged to the people, therefore, it was no more "than right that it should; be administered by a body which was directly responsible to the people, especially if such large - borrowing' powers were given to it;

Mr McCardle replied that the Ohief-'-Surveyor would allocate all roads, and this inoney would tlien be handed to the local bodies for expenditure. He quite"' agreed with Mr Von Reden. that the Waste Lands Board should be an elective - body.' . • The motion embodying, Mr M® wile's- ; proposal was put to tho andcarried unanimously. /■ . ■ '• Mr'McCardle then asked the meet%:; to. "pass a resolution protesting most strongly against any land in the Mangatai'noke Block being given as -an endow*" meut to the Wellington Harbor Board, as this land was urgently necessary- fop* settlement., Unfortunately, Mrßeetham had already been successful in passing a resolution at the last Lands Board meeting, recummending the grant the endowment. " Mr Beet«s seemed to be under the impression that . the endowment could be given with-; settlement conditions, but he (My-: McCardle), know that no such thing could.be done at the present time. He had"-, always objected to resorves, and even if- '- he had had no inteution of offering himself again at tho nuxfc genoral election, he would have felt it his duty to come before the public and protest against such an injustice. If the Wellington Harbor Board required an endowment, let them reclaim the foreshore of Wellington, ■ Mr Von Reden did not agree with Mr McCardle. The Wellington Harbor had no endowment, while Wanganui, Napier, JNew Plymouth, &c,, had meiits. Wellington is our harb jljjKd we should help to see justice done to it. He would certainly object to reserves being ' given in the same way as formerly—for instance the Masterton Borough reservo -for which we had to thank Mr McCardle; but he felt quite sure Mr Beethamwould never be in favor of this reserve if lie were not quite certain that such settlement conditions could attached to it, and that instead of retard-T ing settlement, it would advance it. We could not expect the Wellington'members to assist us in the future, if we tried to hinder them in getting justice. Mr McCardle explained that he had assisted Masterton in getting the reserve, but that was no more than Masterton as a borough was entitled to. If he had remained a Borough Councillor, that reserve would have been settled long ago, and the Borough would have paid its share for roads.

Mr Haggen spoke strongly in favor of the resolution. He said we had nothing to do with the Wellington harbor, it was our duty to look out that our land waß not locked up. Dunedin had no endowments except on the foreshore. HMbped to see the resolution carried unanimously. Mr Alex. Anderson thought that Mr Von Reden had been rather inconsistent in objecting to the Masterton, and favoring the Wellington reserve. He (Mr Anderson) had no doubt that this reserve would hinder settlement as much as the Masterton reserve had done formerM* ' He would always prefer taking land , direct from the Government thau to iiavo to deal with the Harbor Board,

_ The resolution, was then put nud carried, only one voting against it, Mr McCardle eaid with regard to telephone extension from Mastorton to Woodville he had again and again urged tho Government to have this work done from the Masterton side; but the .Government officer had reported unfavorably, and in' favor of extension' from Woodville to Pahiatua only, he therefore moved that the Government-be again requested to establish • . telepjionio communication between'Masterton and Eketahuna.

Mr Von Radon, while seoonding the resolution,.. Mid it mifht be interesting to the-' meetine; to' heai Sir Julius Voxel's answer to. Mr.Beethams question ojj the subject (aniwerraad from Hansard.) Sir Julius Vogol -was evidently, of opinion that the only settlement in the Mile Bush was at Pahiatua. Mr Stout was of quite a different opinion. While speaking on the Land Bill, ho eaid " lrtstead of a thriving settlement at Pahiatua, the land had all passed into j the hands of..oiie"/English, capitalist."* Mr Von. Redeb thought the following figures would show that there was confsiderablt) settlement around Mauriceville and Eketahuna,-/ At Eketahuna 9557 .acres were sold or leased to 122 settlers, so that each one, held on an average, 78 aores, while at Eketahuna 12,409 acres were sold to 118 settlers, giving to each, on an average, 110 acres. Sir Julius Voge). evidently thought that the only settlements that ought to be encouraged were foreign compauies who had taken up land, while bona fide settlements deserved no consideration.

After a few words from Mr Anderson in favor of tho resolution, the resolution was put and carried unanimously. Tho meeting terminated after passing votes«fthanksto : Mr McCardloand the Chairman.