MR BALLANCE'S EXPENDITURE ON VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2326, 7 June 1887, Page 2

MR BALLANCE'S EXPENDITURE ON VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS.

Tun special correspondent of the New Zealand Herald wired oil Sunday : — With regard to the liability of £62,000 for village and special settlements, it comprises not merely the Northern but all the settlements of that designation in the colony. On the side of the Opposition, who arc astonished at this just disclosed liability, which has come upon them as a surprise, it is contended that the vote of £5000 was merely given by way of experiment, which, if successful, would then induce the Minister to come to the House for further funds for the prosecution of the scheme. Dismayed by the amount of the "little till," they have asked, is this to go on for the future ? and the Minister of Lands says it is. The contention of himself and of the Premier is that the House must have known from the regulations that one thousand people would not. have been placed upon the land for £5,000. The thing was simply nonsense. The £5,000 was simply a preliminary grant towards the expense of initiating the scheme, but that the whole scheme itself followed as a logical necessary sequence of the vote. In a conversation with the Hon. Mr Ballance, ho informed me that the cost of each settler, as settled on the land, was about £40; consequently, that accounted for £40,000 of the liabilities at once. A considerable sum has been expended on roads to open up Crown land in connection with these settlements, which, though expended on this scheme, really provides for the general settlement of the country. He first intended to apply for £50,000 this session, but kopt it over till next session. His intention is to devote £50,000 a year to settling people on the land. His appeal is to the country in this matter, and if beaten be is content; but if successful in the appeal he means to go on as before. It is his intention to go to Auckland at an early date and expound his scheme. Tomorrow he will probably give the House some explanation and details of the past expenditure. Nothing is talked about but the extraordinary expenditure. A meeting of the Opposition will take place to-morrow forenoon to consider the course to be adopted, many members of it being favourable to withholding supplies till an explicit statement is forthcoming from the Minister of Lands. The expenditure on roads to open up Crown Lands for sale and on colonial defences is also regarded by the Opposition as unsatisfactory, and the debate on all these, subjects in the House to-morrow is expected to be of a lively character.