The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1889.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2657, 23 July 1889, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

TUESDAY, JULY 23, 1889.

Equal and exact itisticc to ail men, 01■ whatsm-.VL-r state or imrsunsion, religious or politiral.

We agree with the Premier in his denial of Mr Allen's assertion that the towns nro the seat of the Liberalism of the colony. As Sir Harry Atkinson very correctly observed, the country is the true backbone of the colony. Whatever piUriol.ism New Zealand possesses is to lit; found amongst those who have plan'eel themselves upon the soil, thereto build prosperous homes for themselves unci their children. It is only amount the sous of the soil who are, born, live and toil .amongst all tlm associations of rural industry, in daily familiarity with tho works of Nature, and in constant sight of the mountains, valleys and rivers, that love of country can be found in its living, iuspiredreality. In cities men live in an atmosphere of sordid commercial activity, and are ever pushing against each other for tho sake of gain and selfish interests. Unlike those in the country, their souls are animated with a patriotism of self, and whatever love for the soil they may be filled with, it is with tho instincts of the calculating investor or speculator that longs for a land boom. That is the shape taken by tho Liberalism of tho towns.

Tub successful sale of borough lands on Saturday should convince the Hamilton Borough Council and Domain Board of the correctness of the policy we have frequently urged them to adopt. There was an area of about thirty-five acres disposed of altogether-; lot 405 and Oiivt of lot 411 on the East side brought (is per acre per annum, and Bradley's paddock, on the West side, containing twenty-three acres, realised as much as 13s an acre per annum for seven years. Doth were purchased for the purposes of two new and district industries ; the former fell to Messrs dates and Aletcalfe, who are about to erect a fhxmill which will absorb a quantity of labour, and the latter was secured by a Chinese speculator, alter lni'.eh competition wiio intends to cultivate the tobacco plant on a large scale. We have a considerable extent- i>l public lands in the borough lying istu alld over-run with Toi-seand'bramhles It is a great eyo--ore, and nothing oan be more eloquent of f)irit.lcts local iruvernment and want ..; jiiTtliOii'.'ht ♦haii to s.e a tine township like llamiltfiii surrounded cm all sides by thi-r-e pestilent growths. Ihere ianoiodsoufoi- this being so ; opl>ortu. iiitieseoulJ be found for bringing all the lands into use. Were the lands cleared, it would provide employment to many bauds in the place, who arc struggling to maintain their families, besides improving the aspect of the town. Then, were they ottered for lc-aau at a low npiet, it ia

very probable they would find purchasers, (lather than have the public lands lying idle, their value depreciated l)y nuisances, ami brinsing no revenue in any shape, it would be" better to ciear them and offer them at a peppercorn rental, if not entirely free, with improvement conditions for a term of years. Working men would be induced to take them up, cultivate them or use them for gardens or pastures, and, paying the rate?, would thereby increase the Jinrnugh income. There would then be a direct encouragement to the population to l>3 fixed in the place, with some approach to contentment.