SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2631, 24 June 1887, Page 2

SPECIAL SETTLEMENTS.

(To the Editor). Sir, —I havo road your recent strio- ■. tures on the Villago Settlement ■ soheme with very great interest, It must be admitted that some of the arguments which you have adduced are strong and well put, but, Sir, you have altogether ignored the very worst * factor that is working and will work the ruin of many of tho settlers, Last t':' ■') year myself and a friend were working f for five weeks on the Masterton- ;■• Mangahao Special Settlement Block j ■ -, during that five weeks wo only lost three days during the wet weather. There was then a few good -niea ■■' employed on the various contracts on that block,and the regular wages' paid ,/ for good workmen was one shilling per hour, from whioh you can deduofc sixteen shillings per wook for tuckor. . Some of tho Pahiatua village settlers•.'.. were amongst those so employed,-. Two . of these were amongst the baton th.it ■■■: were surawpned.for debt, and yon will' remember- ; made by the R. Mf&V He Baid-At this rate'the "Village Settlements" willhaviho be called Settlements."^';nWhat, Sir,; the secret? These two men had wasted bore than -'. two weeks of thoir,time, ana : \ twice on the Bpree, ; *'/''. ..';! 'fy. In the case of a firm of capitalists In- $ California, who bad done a vast amount:':- ;> : of irrigation and settling-people'.on:; small farms they have had the wisdom to prohibit the drink traffic on all theirV" estates, Why 1 Tbey give the reason. If tho hotels get the raonoy of ■■'. '■' the settlers, we cannot get our renta. I therefore hail the small-farm and . village settlement scheme as a distinct advance and gain for the Muse of prohibition, because we too as a colony' will. find this, if the hotels get'th« money of the settlers we oannot collect the rente, The village settlers are in a better position than their fellows' in , the town, The rent for ten acres ot ' land, fenced and grassed, with a houso fit to live in, will be only four pounds per annum, On this he couldfafip two cows, ahorse, pigs and pottltry,' aa v

' >w«lla8 have room for a fruit and vegetable garden,. The sottlers labor is Svorth as much in thocountry osin.the town, and if he is obliged to travel to get work lm family will not lie left in a |»tifvihg.condition, Tho colony has a • toimprovements effected. " The un- .'... tinployed" is a problem that each Gov:, •:'. eminent ha 9 hud to±» and solve, and . il hold that if only mf per cent<e£ the . 'flettlars remain and, form permanent' . |hdinoß for theniselves. it will be .infini; '.' -iitely better for. the .Colony than emalloying, them on '.' ; jMch Wfta often so much money almost'•'''tMled. '■■■'■' :•■'■' lam ic., ;.• ..