MASTERTON-MANGAHAO SPECIAL SETTLEMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2356, 26 July 1886, Page 2

MASTERTON-MANGAHAO SPECIAL SETTLEMENT.

A oenbrai meeting was Held in the Temperance Hall on Saturday, about 40 members being present. The President. Mr W. W. McOardle, occupied the chair. The minutes of the previous meeting was read and confirmed.

Tho report of the committee was read as follows, and adopted : Since the the last general meeting of the Association Mr Ellison, the contractor for the survey of the MaßtertonMaugahab Speoial'Settlement Block, has supplied a Boheme showing how the land has been cut up. The survey of the township and suburbs and the northern portiou of the rural sections has been agreed to, subject to somo minor alterations required by the Inspector, Mr Marchant. The survey of the southern part of the Block, consisting of. sections averaging 150 acres each, has been rejected as being badly designed, the sections being too long and narrow for profitable occupation. Acting upon suggestions from the Minister of Lands, and the Inspector, the Committee instructed the Surveyor to reduce the lengths of the 150 aore sections by cutting off strips from the backs of two rows of sections. By this means about 1600 acres would be cut out. Since instructing the con : tractor to this effect, word has been sent from the Survey Department that the proposal to cut out this strip of land from the heart of the block of 150 acre sections cannot be allowed. The President, Secretary, and Mr Reese interviewed the Hon. the Minister of Lands, and. ihe Chief Surveyor on the 21st and I 22nd inst., and in reply to the proposals of the deputation the Committee is now informed that if the Association does not see its way clear to enforce a completion of the survey contract to the satisfaction

of the Association and the Government, the Association'may surrender its olaim to the whole of the badly-deaigned sections in onoblock.- This would leave the Association in possession of about 50 sections, ranging .from BO to 80 aura each. You will be asked to-night to deal with the question of taking up the long sections or otherwise The ballot, which it was intended should be held this ovening, lias been postponed in consequoncb of the difficulty oxporwnccd hi dealing with these sections. The Committee has used its utmost endeavors, attonded with much personal inconvenience and loss of time, to obtain a satisfactory solution of the difficulties which have arisen in con-, nection with-, the-, survey, but have all along found themselves heavily handicapped by the fact that Government requirements have to be satisfied, which, in moßt instance, have found to conflict with the wishes of the Association,

A plan of the block as surveyed was shewn, aIBO the part objected to as unsuitable.

The Presidoni; in opeuinp the business expressed his pleasure at the presence of ladies at the meeting. He referred to the many difficulties experienced by the Committee. They objected to it part, of the survey as made by the contractor, the sections being; too long and narrow, and it wa3 now proposed to out off a portion of these long sections, reducing them.from 150 to 100 acres, and holding over from sale the part cut off for a time. This was the centre of the southern portion of the bli ok, and Mr Marchanl' and Mr Smith had both recommended the cutting out of this part. The Committee had set their faces against the block, as now surveyed, from tho first. They had spared neither time, expense, or trouble in urging on tho Government and Survey. A deputation consisting of Mr Redman the Secretary, Mr Reese and himself'had waited on Mr Ballance on Thursday last, and placed the position of affairs before him, and hinted there had been an undue interference with the Masterton-Manga-hao settlement. His own opinion was Mr Ballance waß quite willing to meet them in overy way, and wished to see the settlement a success. Mr McKerrow, the Surveyor-General, no doubt considered it no harm to sacrifice the interests of the settlement in the interests of the Colony, but they, recognising their own rights, thought no injury could be done by cutting off the land proposod, and Government could have lost nothing by granting their request. Mr Ballance promised to give the matter his atteution, He said he would interview the Surveyor General. The result was th 6 following telegram:—"Hon Mr Ballance directs me to say that the proposition to excise a strip of land in the heart of two rows of sections cannot be entertained. If the Association does not see its way to enforce the terms of their Survey Contract the Government will accept a s'lvrendor of Ihe Association's olaims to the whole of the area embraced by the badly designed sootiona in the Bl»ok." ; The Chairman then referred to the first plan'sent down of the proposed survey. That showed-long-strips in the same way as now, and was objected to by the Committee and by Mr Marchant, the Inspector for the Government who was also Inspector for the Association. He submitted the scheme for the consideration of the meeting. One was to throw out the objectionable part, and about 18 sections, so- that Government could got access to it, and the other was to ballot for the sections as they 6tood and only pay on 100 acres, then cut off the 1,500 acres objected tn, and let every member of the association pay a. portion every year of the purchase money, and when it was paid for they could sell it or deal with it how they chose. The land ulthoughbroken, was of excellent quality. Several questions were asked and answered. The Secretary aaid the number of members was reduced from 100 to 80, and if the Burvoy was to co6t £BBO,

thoy would have to prepare accordingly. The calls already made were two of os each for working expenses, and four £2 calls for survey fees, whilst another call had just been made of £3,

Mr Girdwood said they had been wait-

ing for nearly two years to get on their land, and were now told it was. not the fault of the Government that they could not yet do so. He insisted that it was the fault of the Government. They had made the specifications of the contract, and if a ooach and four could be driven through Government waa to blame (hear, hear). If the Government Inspector did not see to their interests who should 1 The Committee had to stand by with hands tied, and could not interfere between the contractor and inspector. They said to the inspector, and he agreed, that the southern sections as laid off were not fif for settlement. The Inspector suggested the Committee should leave the matter in his hands and he would see the survey carried out. They did so, and the result was the planbeforethem, which was like a gridiron. The Government was throwing every impediment in their way. | Whilst they were willing to pay for their land and settle on it, they could not do so, owing to the action of the Government. The proposal of the Government to take back the whole of the south block would increase the cost of the survey of the rest to 5s an acre instead of what .was agreed Md. The Government were to blame all through, They promised to give the. Society good level land suitable in every way to settle on for small farms, and'now they wanted to compel them to take land unsuitable in shape, broken, and into which they could not take a road, It was scandalous, and the Society should stand out against it. Several members expressed themselves in favor of waiting for the sections to be cut up into more suitable shapes in 'preference to taking them over as laid off. In answer to the president Mrßiley said a road could be taken into the centre of the southern block, but it was impossible to take one (Straight through and lay off sections from it. Mr Prangnell said they were promised land fit for settlement.' He was not prepared to bury himself in the hills. He would lose what he had paid rather. It was no great catch at £1 an acre, there was plenty of Government land to be got for that money. The President: Where! where! . Mr Foster said it was no use trying to !?ull the .meeting. There was Government land to be had at £1 an acre, The President wished someone else would take the chair. He had not gulled the meeting. There certainly was laiid at £1 per acre, but it was baw country without roads. There was no block of land equal to their own in the Forty Mile Bush.. Mr Foster would willingly apologise for the expression. He alluded to the Government not tho chairman... He would ask if that land in the south of the block was proper for, settlement. . Hard working men wanted to get a living off their land. Mr Hogg said his own was before they .accepted either suggestion 1 they should make another effort to induce the Government to excise the objectionable part. Mr: McCardle's suggestion that the blockbe'purchased as a reserve for the Association to deal jvith •after would mean that £2O would be devoted from the improvement of eaoh. settler's section. When looked upon, the block and considered their was' rio : access it did not appear so very cheap at £1 per acre. (Hear! hear.).' He' thought if the history of tha settle^

raent were properly delated to Mr- Bal- - • -p lance, act. as they .j»tthed. s -jfe>. .j«« blamed'the Surveybr-Gen : eral"for Mip-' • '• cinji the Minister «{ Landsagaiiut th« : : 'Ateildjatipn'.', M fii' related the aotion of thy Oumniittto all 1 through the dispute, • • und tlieii\deairo to come to an amioahl# tu get - ; He referred to" the promiaoß of Mr Bal,- • lance and said-they should .insist not taking unsuitable land. ■ > Mr Roeae followed the aamalinuj, and others having spopi .the following • resolution was-carried on the motion of, Mr Girdwuod seconded by, Mr-Hoggtv?-.L: •' That the Committee be asked' to 'Mr Ballanco.of.hiß. that ao;,nß'' suitable land'Shnnld' be' to taken up by the, Association, and that k«' . " be asked to reconsider his decision allow the portion of the blook objected to to be cut out. The Committee were instructed to send '' ■ a letter with t.he resolution explaining tlw , A views of the meeting, • . Thiaconcluded the busiueßa. '