MOVING TOO SLOWLY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 199, 16 May 1908, Page 3

MOVING TOO SLOWLY.

"Tho 'way-back', of to-day may be the civilisation centre of to-morrow," said a. wellknown Wairarapa farmer, "but at present a number of our farmers are looking for something easier than pioneer work. It may be that they already nave done enough work in that direction', and feel that, now tlio task should be taken up by soino. younger than they. Again) it-may'bp that they.have lost hope of a' back/district over becoming a centro of civilisation. Tho work goes on so slowly: That is why numbers of our farmers are casting their eyes toward Queensland, where land is cheap, and whoro it is thought thero is n chance of making a fortune in a few years' timo."'

Theso opinions, aro corroborated in several quarters'. It was only tho other day that two dairy-fanners, who-had both recently sold their farms, stated their intention' to investigate Queensland. They wero asked: "Why not take up somo land—slieop country for preference—in somo rcmoto portion of tho North Island, farm tho land for fifteen years, and then retire?" It was explained to thom ■tliaA-every year civilisation, with itaoomfarta*.

"How long is it," said ono, "sinco thn railway was openocl between Eketahv.na and Wcodvillo? Look at tho years they havo been over tho Main Trunk Lino. No, this country moves too slowly for the man who .may have to carve a home out in tho wildornoss. If ho does carve it out, what happens? .His lifo is spent. Ho has thrown it away for tho sake of tho unborn generations. If Now Zealand is going to hold its farmers, it must, movo moro quickly."