SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1894. HOW LAND IS SETTLED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4885, 24 November 1894, Page 2

SECOND EDITION Wairarapa Daily Times. [Established 1874.] SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1894. HOW LAND IS SETTLED.

Ouu ftttoution has been drawn to a somowhat startling example of the bogus land settlement with which tho present Government have flooded the country, A member of the Mastcrton Reform Farm Homestead Association, which, for all practicable purposes might just as well have solected a block iu the mountains of the moon, showed us yestorday a claim from the Department which ho has to meet by the first of January noxt. It runs as follows:

& s (1 Balance of lease fee 0 11 0 Instalment to January 1,1891 fi l» 0 „ , „ July 1.1881... 6 0 0 „ „ January 1,1805 00 0 Improvements 25 0 0 £l3ll ol

Our friend Ims never yet seen or set foot on his land, which is situated in a remote mountain rango', and is ten miles away from a road, and ho is also a working man who could as readily find a million of money as he could the present demand of fortythree pounds. The llustortoji Reform Homestead Association consists of fifty members who have taken up a block of laud in' the Makuri district, the titlo having been converted into a lease in perpetuity, As yetj but five out of tho fifty liavojtako'ii possession of their land, but this wc believo may bo considered, a fail avorago result.' Our friend,complains bitterly that the Departincnl promised to give members' tko valuations, of their sections; a year ago and that it is only now,that thej havo gdt them in tho shape of ti demandfor improvements., Askirij him the .cash, viilub of bis section hi expressed an opinion that if put u] to ancUbnit might realise five shil lings per acre, but certainly wouli not soil for ten,, but tho land depart mentiu its benoyplojico charged i to him at twenty fivo' shillings ai acre. If we inquired from anyiprac tical man whether bash land in tin Pukotoi. ranges on tho coast side;! wortli 25s an acre, he would Jang] at.us. It is not honestly, worth; mor than ten shillings,and it is siniply ai extortion to the Government to mab snet a dom.atuli'' '"ThoLGoveiiimon by, their (inset pricey iippear/to iipse all g'yertlio Colony/ Tliei low rentals are really'high rentals and fjje Jlinisterial Sbyloclc 'take, mo)p than his porfof llcsh out o tjjeyery men whom hi profßssß>tg befrißTid, In the presen ms'tauce an- houssfc;jwpU"nieauin/

nanii'Svith'possibly a lmlr'-crbwn ;in bis pocket,; is asked for ; foirty-tLreo" pounds as ;part purchase of a two hunted.aero section,.-..1n oldtimea a man would buy right out' eighty acres of freehold land within • a dozen miles of Wellington for such a sum. Of course it was madness for our. friend to Lave ever dreamt of taking upatwo' hundred acre section on; the lease in'perpetuity .principle, .'.The' first year's" demand breaks him" up utterly, and happily ho is able to surrender without much loss. Ho is not one of the five who have gono on their sections and who will suffer a term of penal punishment before they dis'coVbr tljat their bargain with the - Gfoverninent is .one. that tlieycaiinbt fulfil.'' It is phly frtii^;to say tiiat : thd Departmohfc .itself, recognises the bogus, character of Bnch settlement ; and docs not.ex:, pect; to : nlonoy' it asks foiv A'cco'mp,any% W is a surrendor forni'and the following notice " If you do not intend to keep the land or occupy it in a honajidc manner, it would bo better for I/ok to apply 'on tlie v attached form for permission to' surrender your, interest in it." This is how'iho farce ond8! ''Better for him to surren-i dor," bettor for the poor man hevor to-have been deluded into'putting in an application. The Commissioner of Crown Lands tells our friend that it is better for him to surrender, meaning that if he does notthiow lip | his land something worse will befal 'him. : ■' ■>