WITHDRAWAL FROM SALE OF SUBURBAN LANDS.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1280, 11 September 1880, Page 2

WITHDRAWAL FROM SALE OF SUBURB AN LANDS.

Newcastle. What a fat ility .seems to stick to Ngarua-vahia-the first and only Government township sold in Waikato, and from the pi ice it realised, which lias often been quoted in our column*, nm^t have been looked upon by the puioha-ers as destined to bo the piemier township of Waikato ; hors sadly and to the cost ot those who put in their lot there ha* thus been belied The pioneer settlers foresaw that the large area of irood a v,i il.ibic land surrounding them if unoccupied would retard the advancement of their town, and foutinu.illy agitated and petitioned the Government of the day that this land, pxtending for a, radius of some four miles from the Wai pa river on one .side to the Waikato liver on the other, and comprising some three thousand acre*, might be offered for sale at leasonable prices. Time after time portions of these lands have been put up for sale, and in a few days ayain withdrawn. On many occasions it was accounted for that native negotiations were pending", and that these lands were required for native purpose). This was dining the timo of the late Sir Don ild McLean and the late Government. Some other reason must actuate the present Government, and what its object is sorely troubling the minds- of those interested. A public meetin g has been called by the Chairman of the Town Board for this evening 1 to take this matter up again, and, as he has probably put himself in communication with the Government, let us hope that some sati.sfaotoiy reason will be given. Not long since a few of the lots were sold, and in no few ca^es realising nearly double the upsrt prices, the purchasers mostly townsfolk, and laboring men who by thrift and energy had saved a iow pounds, and were in a position to occupy and mipiove such holdings. Yeirs nero these lands might have been y>ld at higher rates thau reached at the s.ile referred to. What a different story ■would have been told of Ng.iruawahia as a township to-day if the lands had been open for occupation, even at £10 per acre, during the time of formation of the railway by the E.V.M\ and the erection of the bridge across the Waikato number of tho>e employed on these works were anxious to purchase and settle. ll?pres"iifation was made at that time over and ovc auain to the Government to effect Iliis, but to no purpose. When it, wa-i suggested in a memorial from this part of the district some little time ago that the Government should buy out the remaining interests, it appeared to outsidois a ridiculous proposition, but to those who had for year*, suffered from the efreeU of the a (> ttons of not one Government or one N itive Minister only, but from the fii&t to the time of their petition it wdi but too credibly a genuine offer on thtir parts, and 'vould have been but a l'u->t reparation hid it, been possible to have entertained it.