The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2628, 16 May 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

liiju.il ami c'x.irt pisticc to all men, Of wliatsm-uw state or persuasion, religious or politic.,!.

TIWRSDAY, MAY Iβ, ISSO.

Wk hiivn shown or. various occasions that \w nrc decidedly adverse to any further iinrlorla.kinys on public works of an important character which would involve a largo expenditure of money, and commit the colony to raising another loan. In persistently adhering to this position we have given !i rellbx of public opinion throughout tho colony indicated by an almost unanimous Press, which is opposed to any further extension af railways. .For the next few years it will be of far more importance to the colony's welfare to bestow tho greatest attention to the settlement of the country, and the leading feature, in any expenditure of revenue that may lie agreed upon should embrace that object. The people appear to be of one mind on that point, and it is certain that a spirited and generous land policy on the part of tho Government would win for it a very general and strong support. A Land Policy should take, the place of the Railway Policy. As a matter of f.tct the colony even now possesses a railway system too extensive for its wants and condition, and we have seen the egregious blunder of building a costly line into tho heart o.E a virgin country, likely yet to remain closed against settlement for an indefinite period. The Native Minister is deluding himself with false hopes if he flatters himself with the belief that ho can easily acquire the Xing Country, except at a he*vy cost and after a great deal of trouble. The natives are keen enough to understand the value of tin land to the Government, enhanced now by tho railway, and they will claim the " unearned increment." Moreover, speculators are in the field ; the .Minister should not be surprised to hear that advances have been made to the natives by private parties who can afford to wait for the expiration of the present interdict to complete bargains already negotiated. The great work now devolving upon the colony is to settle its waste lands and to provide population from within and without to occupy them, so that tlie country can increase in wealth and a wider division of the burden of taxation be effected. There are too many unnecessary dilßcuHi-s, too much irksome oilicialism, iu the way of a free access to the land under the present system, notwishstanding all that the Minister of Lauds has performed in the cause of settlement. Greater inducements still can be held out to intending settlers. It would simplify matters if all Crown lands, not otherwise set apart for specilic purposes, were thrown open and anyone who chose could select any portion within the limit allowed as to area, and, on the bmvijiiles of the applications being proved, b.; allowed to occupy it forthwith The delays, expens 1 ; and disappointments which result from the existing circumlocutionary method of gaz-tting the lands open for selection, and th n putting up tho, sections applied for to public competition would be o'wriated, and more eagerness to take up lands would be encouraged.