LAND SPECULATION VERSUS SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 195, 20 August 1888, Page 2

LAND SPECULATION VERSUS SETTLEMENT.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln a slashing article under this head in your issue of 15th mat.— which every true colonist will appreciate—tho following sentences occur :—" If. the' land could be oob by.sebbiers at its producing value they would want neither State education nor State fcupporb to. make it pay. • • ■ "c price asked by Government for land now open for selection is simply prohibitive. During the months of May and June last the Government, offered ab auction for cash, lease or deferred pay men b, several thousand acres of: first, second and thirdclass lands, a large proportion of which are located in Hokianga county, and adjacent to some of the village eebtlemente. These lands were surveyed ten years ago, but still they Ho -waste and unproductive. +n the Crown lands Guide of 1884, the prices were fixed at 15s, 20s, 30s, up to £3, per apre. On May 21st and June 27th of present year these lands were unsuccessfully pil'erej as sbated. ab 6s, 7s M, 10?, 15s, and 20s, the lasb-mentipnerl figures being_ the limit in both cases. These lands are likely to remain until the survey pegs rot in the ground, unless the Government eventually recognise that they are only adapted for the homestead system of setbleTPonb. Whilst fuliyrepognising bhe special mission which the village settlement scheme is intended to fulfil, it can scarcely be doubted that the other is moie likely to meet the *vaiits of the colony at the present juncture. Were are the facts :— (1) Village settlements. The State inidertakes to advance £2 10s per acre for first 20 acres of speciried impi'ovements, and £20 for a duelling, iadopendenb of cosb of placing the settler and his belongings on his acc^ tion free. In other words, the Government contracts to-advance 28<j per acre to every 50-acr.efebtlerunclertlieeyßtem without any guarantee against fire over the dwellings, or that the condition of the lands laid down .to pasture aba cost of 50?' per acre will be maintained (for we all know the result unless, properly fed off), or,; lastly, that in case of abandonment the property, as agoing concern, willbel'ound marketable. (2) The homestead system stipulates that the Government guarantees a litU or a free gift of the original vnlue of tho land (afc the most, ten shillings), conditionally that bona fide settlement t.ir rive years and epecilied improyenients are undertakon and performed. ;' , In vievv of the foregoing 1 would ask this question :-Whether in the interests of the colony at the present time it would be advisable to throw open all surveyed lands valued ab 30s and under for free selection pnder.tlye homestead system, no one family to acquire a larger aye.ii than would be valued at £100.?— I am,'etc., ' Colonist.