ALEXANDRA.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2545, 1 November 1888, Page 2

ALEXANDRA.

Farming Notes.—Business is very quiet here just now, and the same complaint is made in all adjacent districts. The crops, however, generally are looking well . at Whatiwhatihoe especially the natives, wheat looks remarkably well, notwithstanding the fact that the ground has been cultivated year after year for more than a dozen years without any manure of any kind whatever. Mr Woolfield's crops of wheat and barley do not look very promising. The cause of this I am informed is that Mr Woolfield who is a new settler here who has leased Air Seccombe's farm, left the grain a considerable time in bags after pickling before sowing which destroyed its germinating qualities. Tho lambing season is now nearly over and a good per centage of lambs has been made.

Mr W. L. Reus' Scheme oi' Settlement.—The article in The Waikato Times calling attention to the gigantic scheme of Messrs Wi Pere and Rees in regard to settling native lands by forming a company in England for that purpose, was very opportune, and it is to be hoped the Government's attention will not only be called to it, but immediately acted upon, for tho credit of the colony. They should at once publish in England the real status of these gentlemen before much harm is done. It is well-known here that Messrs Rees and Wi Pere, when canvassing the King natives in this district, were unable to get a single acre, or promise of one, for their company. Mr Rees talked and talked from sunset to sunrise with Wahanni and other chiefs, with his most persuasive and long-winded eloquence for nights, but could not make a convert or convince them in any way that anyone but themselves should have the disposition or handling of their lands. Yet, in spite of this, according to the papars, he co >'ly say* the King natives have promised him no less than 7,000,0000 acres for settlement. The falsity of this is obvious to us here, as therejis not much more than a fourth of this quantity—if so much—owned lny the natives. But the English people do not know this, and they should be at once enlightened on the subject. As to Wi Pere's influence on the East Coast and the lands of the natives, that is also being highly'gilded. If he has such influence as represented to the English people, it is strange he could not retain his seat in the House, but was ousted by an outsider. One would have thought that the whole Press'of the colony would have been aroused on the subject, knowing the parties so well and their antecedents. Mr Rees is of a most energetic and sanguine disposition, but could never succeed in any of his schemes. Certainly the English people should be warned at least, to give the scheme their most serious consideration before investing. This is due to the public credit of the colony.