A STORY OF COLONISATION.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11151, 18 December 1901, Page 6

A STORY OF COLONISATION.

We*reprint in another column, from the "Australasian," the story of the Muntham Estate, in Victoria, which may be aptly described as a romance of colonisation. . It is a narrative whlich land nationalises may iread with profit. Before Melbourne was ;• founded a Sussex farmer, named Henty, firading agriculture depressed in ibis native land, chartered a vessel, and, bringing with hint Ibis brother, Ida family, and his farm stock, came out ito the' Australian Colonies to found a new home, and to carve out a living for hknself and for those who were to come after him. Eventually one of the brothers settled! down at Muntham. The land was judiciously selected, the live, stock which this adventurous pioneer brought out was of the best, and it is evident that both he and his children were hard-work-ing, itfhriffy, and' generally , of the material of whiloli successful colonists ore made. The family prospered, and became wealthy, and at the present time there is no dioubt Munthoan is a very valuable property." Under the wall of the late Mr. Henty it is now to be cut up and; cold in small farms. The land, nationaliser, of course, would say ' - that this was a case of unearned increment, . ■' and thkt the property ought to be confiscated by the" State. Gould anything be more unjust than'thie? " WiU any fair* '. minded person say that the original-owner, rJ who 'risked all to comae, out to .Australia - at a time when it was largely, in the hands of savages, did: not fully deserve all the fruite of hie enterprise? And surely , his descendants, wßto have carried on the ' work of colonisaftbn, ibave a 'better light '.to eajoy the .proceeds thatx those who have. taken oo parb in fye acquirement .or development of the estate. • t 3?'et the land ' I I natdonaliser would practically take the estate end dietriibute ita ,value among the present xahkbitaimte of the colony, the bulk of whom it as safe ito.gay would never have ventured , ov£ to the country ia <the early ■ days of its eettlemenifc, andf Vould be in- -.' capable of sustaining a tithe of the Jterd- ' ' ■'- ehdps cheerfully endured. by. the pioneers. Surely, if these were to "enter into thfe possession of 'property for which others J « had toiled, it would indeed! be a. case of the "increment" going those who . \ had dong nothing' - to; earn - it. -;. Ifc ie - when we. take a concrete cose of this Jtind, and oxaanioe it, thtot we see ~'§L the eophoetodes of whSoh the land nation- Jα aliaatdon <Ead is compoeed, and: Injnstice ?"?' that would be caused were the viewe of v its advocates to be carried into effect. 'i •?