THE CHEVIOT ESTATE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5085, 24 July 1895, Page 3

THE CHEVIOT ESTATE.

A PERSONAL VISIT.

"REAL WRETCHEDNESS."

Not long since, a resident in this diskict, whoso testimony may be tjpps as thoroughly reliable—had occasion to visit the Cheviot .settlement. Ho remained there about a month, and during that time had amplo opportunities of seeing for bimsolf, tho true stato of the settlement. His was no Hying visit made on n, fino day; ho did not put up at the Cheviot mansion or the best houso in the McKenzie township, but mixed freely with the working settlers, Baw them in their daily struggle for existence, and - during his stay—shared, to some extent, their hardships. But to toll tho story in his own words:—"l had jfifn led to believe that Cheviot was uWaradise. Ono could not help thinking so, from

TIIE OIOIVIXG ACCOUNTS published in certain papers. When 1 set out for tho placo I little dreamt it was anything approaching what I found. The last part of my journey was performed in a coach, but such a road I neversaw. In many places the horses toiled lnbouriously through mjpjjiiid slush so deop that the pole coach was often covered. Everywhere tho mnd was knee deep, and altogether the prospect was so disheartening that 1 would have turned back the day after I reached Cheviot, had I been able. Still 1 thought I would not give up my object without a fair trial,and at the end of a month —with health rapidly giving way—l left again for Masterton, and have since been seriously ill. Until 1 visited Cheviot 1 did not know what wretchedness was, and the majority of the poor unfortunates who are there are

IX SUCH SORE STRAITS that unless they get Government aid I capot seo how they can hang the winter out, There aro some very good houses scattered about belonging to tho more wealthy settlers, (for there are a few comparatively wealthy ones) but the majority of those who were deluded into taking up holdings—in many cases without capital and not even the most elementary knowledge of the work of settlement—live and have liyed thAjjli the opening months of this wlfflv, in »no of the bleakest spots in tiro South Island, simply in touts, mud whares, and even carts. lut one instance a man is living on the beach

IX ax oi<n BOAT, with a sack stretched over him to shield liiin from the storms of winter. Fancy,too,afamilyof seven—motlier, father, and five children—huddled together in a wretched mud lint of one room; the only roof: some sacking; tho furniture: a few boxes! And this, too, with from two to three feet of snow on tho ground. The great hardship of winter is , accentuated by the fact that the settlement is almost hare of timber, and with the exception of some plantations (which are not to be touched), and a little timber belonging to the Homestead, tliero is practically xo FIREWOOD, and the settlers are at the expense of bringing coal and wood for fuel, byiaat from Chiistchurch, Now it mtiglja seen that a poor fellow, with > simely enough to provide bread and meat, lias not much to expend in sucli a luxury-yes luxury, and in New Zealand, too-as firewood! Fancy a father watching his shivering, crying little ones almost perishing with cold. In Masterton, if one is cold, by going to bed it is possiblo to obtain some warmtheven if there is no fuel in the house. But going to bed at Cheviot, during ~ the month I was there, did not mean going to bed to get warm, but going to bed to get wet. Some of the people are LIVING IX CARTS with canvas stretched over the top, and perhaps they are as well off as those in mud huts, with no fire, and ankle deep in slush. The unfortunate position of the settleVs is largely due to the decided failure of last year's crops, and many are utterly unable to pull through, Others are ' sticking to it witli great heart, but they will have an uphill fight. Certainly the place may turn out a good and successful settlement, but it is liffifo see how it can at present, IVle'l was there no less than three settlers gave up the struggle and left the place altogether. One very , sad caBO came under my notico; it was that of

AN EX-SAUATIOX OFFICER who bail been advised " for bis * health's sake!" to give up Army . -norkand settle quietly at Cheviot. I called on the poor fellow, and his sad, pale face, 1 shall not easily foisjet. I told him that the life wou Id kill hira, that he had better giru up. His reply was that ho had spent Mb little all on his section, and thought he had better hang on a bit longer. These cases aro not at all isolated ones, and what I say is easily verified. Men have been deluded in f taking up land under such cruel circumstances, that it is no wonder everyone is crying out against the Government and its settlements," The abovo scarcely needs'commeut; the sad story speaks for itself,