The Maikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, AUG. 11, 1888.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2510, 11 August 1888, Page 2

The Maikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. SATURDAY, AUG. 11, 1888.

No stronger evidence can be shewn ot the pronounced state of public opinion 011 the imperative necessity for utilising the waste lands of the colony, than the agitation which has taken hold of the minds of the people of Auckland on the subject of special village settlements. There is a striking unanimity in the north in advocating the resumption of the schcme. It is recognised on all sides to be of paramount importance to the welfare of the colony to encourage an influx of population of the .agricultural class. The village settlements established by Mr Ballance proved a direct benefit to the city of Auckland inasmuch as they relieved it of a serious difficulty in the shape of numerous "unemployed" by withdrawing the men away to places where they were given an opportunity of creating comfortable homes by honest, hard work. That is one of the greatest economic features of the scheme which deserves the highest approbation, and which alone atfords d theme for much favourable discustion. There is, however, the other and perhaps more pleasant aspect ; that is, the undoubted success which has followed its operations. We stated in a former article that the Herokino in Hokianga, and Alcatea in Waikato, were both in a highly satisfactory state &f progress. A writer in the Herald has lately visited the Takahue special settlement and speaks in terms of praise concerning it. Lie says, " the settlement is an unqualified success, and when it is known that only three out of all the settlers had any previous knowledge of land, I think there

need lie little fear of any person willing to work making a both r living than many do about town.'' • He continues to describe the im- '• provements made by the settlers, j and the possessions they are already ; securing for themselves in the way 'q of vegetable gardens, orchards, cows, 0 horses, &c. The writer referred to 3 then says, " The land they are on L was open for selection for years, hut would not be taken up, and it is y solely due to the fact of their j families having been put on the ; ground free of cost that such a suc- • cessful settlement exists here." This argument is unanswerable. It is a fact patent to any man of in- [' telligence, not biased by party poli--3 tics, that the only means for prol> curing a steady, successful, and permanent occupation of our lands is to offer the most liberal inducements and facilities possible for people to go on the soil. The direction legislation should take to at- ' tain this much desired object is to i, provide easy (eruis for acquiring Jj lands in suitable areas up to a maximum limit. Indeed, we do not hesitate to say that to give the land 0 to each occupier on a life tenure it free of cost, would not be excess of generosity. The gain in the end to ig the colony would be more than commensurate. Then there should be L ' cheap transit by the State railways for all products. What greater in--8 ducement could be offered than this 1 Or what more attractive advertisement could the colony place 3 before the eyes of the emigrating classes in the Old Country than that of a nominal scale of freights for - agricultural produce to convenient markets ? The encouragement in this alone would exercise aa im- ). mense influence amongst the Eng- , lish agriculturists, the people we are most in need of. There is no doubt that liberality is the right 11 spirit that should animate our '' special land laws to induce settle--1 ment. The Herald correspondent ! > already quoted proposes "to place . every family with a limited amount of luggage, all tools, and as much provision as tliej' cau get, on the land free of cost. Let each '' family, for at least two years, i. have as much road work as will , keep them in groceries and flour ; ' but let the road work be in making roads from the main county roads . to the settlements." And we may add that, if to these liberal provisions a further inducement can be created in favour of men with capital to come to the colony to invest and settle permanently in replacing the obnoxious Property Tax by a Land and Income Tax, New Zealand would then be able to regain the high road to prosperity. It will be hopeless to look for any improvement in our unfortunate position until the utmost exertion is put forward to increase the population with the right class of settlers, and to push on the s-ttlenient of the country on a large and liberal scale.

Chemical Works at Otahuhu. The publication has been turned out at the printing establishment of Messrs Wilson and Howton, Auckland, (Hera'd), and is in every sense of the word creditable. The title page, specially, is admirable, and could not be surpassed by anything of the kind elsewhere. The same firm has turned out a trade pamphlet for Messrs Sargood, Son andEwen, of Auckland, in which the samo conspicuous excellence in the printer's art and skill is observed. Ttte diary of Bishop Cowie, since his arrival in England, appears in tho Church Gazette, and contains many interesting items. The Bishop and Mrs Cowie are kept very busy with their many engagements, as His Lordship says, more than are consistent with the getting of any rest." He has attended the Conrocation of Canterbury, at which there wereaboutsoo members present; he was at the levee at St. James' Palace where he met many old friends ; he has addressed the boys of the Royal Naval School at Greenwich at the request of the Chaplain ot the Fleet, and also on another occasion the nurses, stvdents and officials of St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Bishop Cowie attended the annual meeting of the Bible Socicty in Exeter Hall, at which the first resolution was moved by tho Lord Chancellor and seconded by the Bishop. There were 2,000 present at the meeting. What with holding confirmation services, preaching at several churches, attending public meetings and many other duties, our active Bishop appears to be having a busy time of it in the Old Country. He was to have preached at S. Paul's Cathedral on 15th July