VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 93, 21 April 1887, Page 2

VILLAGE SETTLEMENT SCHEME.

Mr Jdo. Ihndoh's-1 Explanation-

Tkerß' was a large audience at the Temperance Hall last evening in response to an invitation issued by Mr Jno. Lundon, who had promised to explain his aqti.on in connection with the Village Settlement Scheme, and*also exoneratehimself from attacks made upon him through the papers. The chair was occupied by Mr Win. Duncan, J. P. Mr LundoujTafter expressing regret that MrHobbs, M.H.R., was not present, said he wanted to say a few words about the Herekmo Block. Tho "New Zealand Pilot' said Whangape harbourhad 30 feet of water, and was safe at any time. For position it could not be beaten in the Waikato. H c had the block proclaimed,and thcrewere 2'J men, 27 women, and six children on it a month afterwards. Nobody had suffered any hardship in getting to their land, unload it was by itelaylit.the Onelmuga Wharf. With tho Herekino settlement, ho asked for a special vessel, and Mr Waller offered to take ' the settlers down for £100. Tenders, however, were advertised for, and Mr Waller tendered at jM'2oand got it. He had told them previously that no one should go to Hcrekiuo unless they had a mouth's stores, and that it was the centre of a large Maori population. It had been said that he (John Lundon) had more influence than all the Government oltioials put together, and he quoted some incidents m proof of the statement. Alter landing at Hokianga he went, to sec Bowman at Ahipara, eight miles away, and Jjowman gave him the use of a store for nothing, and an hotel wiui,'also put at his disposal for the women and children. He also got a raupu house, and every man ixnd woman was housed that night. Tho goods were also housed. Everyone did not see their lots that night, but a day or two afterwards they asked the surveyors to show their lots, and they were uuubieto doso. Some of the settlers wore accordingly dissatisfied, but botoro he (Air Lundon) left all had seen their sections. All were not on yet, but they soon woulu bo. When he came back to Auckland he found others wanting to go, and he got Mr iiullance to put on another steamer, and the NorthernL'ompany tendered ut £120 and got it, and Mr Waller £130. However, it was a mistake totsend settlers from Auckland right round tbe North Cape. With reference to the want of provisions he recalled tho fact that, he said that none should go without Hour. Besides this, he advised those who had no money to go to tho gumholds, which they could do for a shining, and earn money. There had been three large stores for the past eight years not tun miles from the settlement. He took several men who had no money to the storekeepers and arranged that they should got goods as their ground was cleared, and ho had never heard any complaint from them. The third lot of- settlers wero taken to Whangapo by the Stati'a. Tho Stati'a belonged to Gapt. afacgregor, and she was kept at Qnehunga because, three men would not pay a sum of money as arranged. The StaSft did not go to Whangapc, but next went to Ahipara, and tlie Government had to pay a largo sum of money to move the people on their land. He had written to tho Government on the subject. When ho was at Whangapc ho tried to induce all to cluav fchoiv ground rather than go on road work> Ho thought a-man, should clear an acre a weak, and tho Government gave £2 for doing this to buy tea and Hour. Tho roan who threatened to shoot hfrs (Mr Lundon) had not donp this. He had a let tor from Herskino, stating that every man had paid up to date. [(Applause!) He knew one man who went from Auckland and" left his wife at the Star Hotel. (Laughter.) Ho was a storekeeper, and had all his goods-earned free. Another man had a large quantity of goods for sale carries! froc. ■ (Shame.) He (Mr LundouJ told Mr Ballaiiqa that they would require to make some 'provision lor the Bottlers during the winter, and Mr Ballance told him to do what he liked. Ho arranged with Mr Waller to send the Oreti to Whangape for £40, and then got IS of the Papakura gnnidiggers to go-down, one of the iincst iot of diggers ho had seen out of Victoria, and they went down. : Then he sent with them a quantity of ten and fiouv. He said this to show that not Mr Hobbs, but John Ljindpn and Mr.Ballanco, had done this for the settlers. It had been stated that people had bebn starving, but John Lundon did not put any man on land unless he had a guinfield alongside of him. He said that if a man starved in Herekino ho had a right to starve, for it would bo on' account of want of energy and knowledge. There was no reason why flour should be £1 a.cwt. Ho therefore asked tho public and press to exonerate him from thoattacks that hud been made on him. He He had directed Mr Smith to put men to make a road, and the credit was due to himself (Mr Lundon). Ho told Mr Smith to get the.road made so that people could get their goods up, and that a lady might got her piano up. (Laughter). There were fifteen'settlers on the Puli'ata end of the block, aud he gave them an order for IHcwt of flour! on condition, that they made a i-oatl, with which they wore delighted. When they presented rat order to Berrigan for the flour ifc was not available, bat it had fceeirseut down from Auckland since. He found this was a mistake of their own. and not of ' Jrio. Lundon. It had been stated that the nearest stores were at Ahipara, 14 miles distant, an<J that men could not be expected to 'travel"that distance' for provisions ; also tlsi> people had'been starved off their prbperties.' These were men on the Puoata Block, they were" not to expect any road work till the winter, and this was how they ban behaved. One of those who signed the eqm.pMst; had/ arranged for his mother to/com'o. 'd:own, vranc.rlkTcHU "ifot think he wouftfdo that if.fjissatified, ~ -An agitator named' Steed 'had written , a leiter to the " Herald," and it' was' said that Lundon bad dictated it,; but when-it was written Lundon.was a mile away. Steed had further written a letter expressing his satisfaction with the land. Tho Canterbury settlers had selected a piece of ground at Wha-ngamuku, and the balanca was open' for settlement. Th'erewas 3600 acres in the bloclt onct fti guMeld: alongside of, the block... It wos a' fine pounti^, and it was open'to anyone to §q, and/make an independent living. It lies It^^Kei-ekind.ahd: Victoria, Valley, with land' very iine, and money for making a good' road was on the/Estimates that'he touia get' proclaimed wheii' 10 or 15 men would make appHctition for it. On the Herekino block'; there was any aniount of puriri, and th.9vp.wqß 119 reason why men should starve when they co'iikr get 4s for sleepers. There was noplace in New Zealand iti which forget long piles like Wliongapei, and there was no reason for any man to starve tliere. The.y had the gum lor nothing, aud the,harbour abounded with fish. He did, JW$ a P" priivVbi putting h,ajf-a-do?en in differeivt places, hut if lie put 200 or 300. men on one place they soon, got a church, a school, and a public horise" (laughter), and why should the place not become as populous as Hpwick ojs \ tyiy Qthftc place T All classes of people hfjfd. gone, down,, and there.! would be a generaj , ejection next November, and he would be very "much surprised if they did not know how to work th.j thing. To .okviate.. t-hft possibility of any scarcity of provisions arising in the future. The .steamer Oreti had been chartered to call regularly at Whangape for C4O a month. If the. men cleared they1 fiQund and built their houses, they were blind tv get on. A man could work at Harcki.:u. f'uf. eight anda-half months of tho yetiv 1 .-r.ii'i .!':■;; bis house and clearing land, and 11' - Government would find, wqrii :,..• ,i..-;ireinaining. three months. He

spoke with the authority of Mr .Ballance, and-he expected the Government to pay him for what he had done if the settlement was a success. (Hear, hear.) Now he came to Mr "Bvxgpyne. He took up a lot 15 miles from Herd's Point. There was not an inch of land in- the endowment, and he never went to see it. He- surrendered this lot,and took up another. Then he,came up to Auckland and got other lots for his friends, and he got married and took his friends down. A-sid this man was the only dissentient voice. Burgoyne wn<? an Adam, and he found himself in a, pa^adiso, and he wanted an Eve. He got an Eve and he sinned, and ho went to Mr Ballanco for absolution. (Laughter.) Now he wanted to shoot John Lundon.- In Irelaud ho might have been shot for putting a man ofl' his land;- but here he was to be shot for putting him on it. ■ Ko (ls\v Lundon) had put 400 families, on jn-nj Northern settlements, and not ono of tliQin dared to come back and say that they had not good land. Mr Lundon then proceeded to sketch the political career of Mr Hobbs in a manner not very flattering to that gentleman. , Last session M.r Hobbs denounced the .special Settlement Scheme right and left, because Mr Lundon .was in it. Tho Settlement) Scheme had lont a great deal by the death of Mr Macandrew(Applanso). PK; concluded by thanking the audience for tho kind and patient hearing accorded him.

One of the audience hero rose, and said that Mr Lundon was quite a stranger to him. But it had bg;::i) said that Mr Lundon was a fraud, and ho called 14)011 them to stand forth aud repeat their (statements. (Applause).

Mr McManus proposed, "Thatany man who opposed the village settlement scheme is an enemy to New Zealand.I '^ ifo said that Mr Bra mo was not put up by the Industrial Association, but by a Queen-street ring, whiohpaidliim.fr; stump the country in their own interests. (Applause aud dissent.)

Jll reply to questions, Mr Luiiclon said tiiere were 000 faiuilics on village settlements in Now Zealand—probably clo.~o on ■2,000 people.

Mr ('. F. .lames said that he- folt a great interest in the settlemciit scheme. He saw men.coming from fcho old country with mouoy, ;nui luui to lay cub every penny in tlie purcha.^o of homesteads. Ho wrote of this and spoke of it, and tlneo years from that time we had 2,000 souls settled down on what might make a great nation. Speeches Jiad been made in New Zealand to the oii'ect that it was dosirab'e to keep, the land at large prices to keep the common people oil it. Yet the village settlement scheme had been carried out successfully. Only four or live complaints had been made, and a man who qould do this was deserving of the applause of all. The scheme, unfortunately, would have the opposition of all large landowners, and of the Bank of New Zealand, which smothered every industry ;n tho country. fApplaiiSO.)' Why? (A voice : " Because they can't pawn it.") Yi.-r-, because they could not make money out of it. ff the scheme was quashed ifc would bo a misfortune to every working wan, ;md wvul-i deptroy every prosjM.-i-t of' New Zealand becoming a democratic community. Mr Otto also spoke in favour of fcho se|tlement scheme, and observed that if the City Council would spend moriev in this direction, in*toad of in .Art (-flUlerics, they would (^0 better for those whom they represented.

Mr Worburton seconded the motion proposed by Mr McManu-. Ho considered the scheme one of the best ever curried out iv any part of the world. Mr Lundon said tho land was good, and he believed it was good. Ho desired to add to the resolution " thf&tlie-thanks of tim: v.veoting Ijo given to Mr Lvindon and feUance fur tlte action they have taken in ,cp.i)necuon with the Village Settlement scheme./'

Mr Wiikihson'^uafearrivecl from Hcrokino, said that the Government deserved credit for t'ao scheme,which was. a noble schc-me ; :;o did Mr Lundon. Bu,t if- ho were Mr Lundon lie would have the roads to tho.settlements before ho brought tho people there This w.M.s why tlw [.Hjople- starv^tL- It was true that) the people, had hardship.-:, and he had hihi'sclf given many of them a iced. With rcfcror.ee to the road referred to by Mr London, the settlers worked llk.o alavea, and they were two days getting their things there. Had the roads been in ;.do, tlicy would not liavo. eaten nil their food and bc_n threo wcclfs before they got on the lan:i. They wero well satisfied with the land, aid with the scheme, but they lind r.o l'iglit to go down Ixjforo the roads wero made. (Dissent). He did not w:\nt to throw co!<l water upon the atiair. >T. .rvAy hoped the scheme would be carried on successfully, and that the settlors would do to the Ooveruineut as well as tho Government, did to. them.. Ho next referred to the settler who stopped at his houso, and, crying, asked for assistance; -to carry his things on. The distance to t)ic guuiiiiOid' was .10 or 1«"> mile.i. In answer to questions he stated that he occupied a section, and had been on it for two months.

-Mr Those Reed (Waiuku) said he had known Mr Lundon for ."52. year's. In his neighbourhood "23 years ago they had imniicrant spttlemeijfcsi and fcho imiiiigrants wore poor people. He bought his lui\d himself and settled on it. They talked here about houses to. livo in, but he. and another man took two sheets and hoisted them over some fern, and they lived on it. Any man who was not prepared to rough it had no. right to take up land. It was better, however, to hang a man than .put him on bad land, but on good land he would surely succeed if he womd worfc and deny himself of luxuries. The times were good, for goods, cattle, arid, cows could pc .purchased very cheaply. . Why, in Australia, ha had put in six months lying under his cart and uarrying goods to the diggings and looking1 out fqr the bushraugers. (Applause.) He looked on politics, however, its a sort of trade, and the bone and sinew of the country was not represented. Mr MeManus's, motion was then put and carried unanimously.

Mr Lunclon said that he could not pi\t the sc'ttlers on tho lands before they were surveyed. The delay was the fault of the survoyor«, ftn'd not his. A man Avho took down stores to sell to tho ttigguin was ft c3»o»b, and. Mr Wilkinson did that. (Hear, hear.)

Mr Hay said that as Mr Burgoyne, who mad©'serious charges against Mi- Lundon, wrfs not present, ho filiould be ceiißured, and it was decided " That Mr Burgoyne's absence be taken as evidence of the1 untruthfulness of his statements." (Applause.) On the motion of Mr W^arburton, a vote of tluuiks to the How. Mr Ballance and Mr Lundon was. passed unanimously, whicli brought the proceedings to a close.

The entertainment given in the City Hall on Monday evening by Ellis Newton drew an au,cUence that .filled the theatre aboye and. below stairs. The building, in fact, has seldom held a larger audience, and certainly never a more good -tempered. rQcrry, orderly, and yet critical one,.' The inn was-fast and furious all the evening,and the people enjoyed the free and easy style prevailing to the top of their bent.' Con-certina-playing, step-dancing, bun-eating, and baby show competitions took place. The last-named created much amusement by the troops of mothers atid their squall-' iug babies appearing on the stage.

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