THE LAND SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 687, 11 December 1909, Page 13

THE LAND SETTLEMENT FINANCE BILL.

' Sir,—With reference to the above. Bill I think ;the\success of- it'has ; just been'spoiled by . the clause' which- makes: the maximum .200 a'ores, : diid it is a great " pity.' that Mr. Reed's amendment to make the maximum 560.was hot carried. Even if it had been 401) acres, it typuld not have been so bail; but 200'acres, - un : loss one, gets. : first-clnss. agricultural land,' is no/ use ,to a man ■ with',a family to 'make,ai living off, and this class of land cannot be got. for £15 por acre; more_ like double that ■ price, and,'those, that have it' do not'want to part with it. ."/Now;- ;as ' one who knows the llavke's Bay and Poverty Bay districts, I may say. that good flat land;,is worth,from. to JMo,;an'.acre, but '.there \iire'. hundreds of ? small sheep stations,frornVZOOO' to. 5000 ,acres that aio now;. being ,';worked with a couple;pf shepherds and a boy, .that, if divided into 500-acrc blooks, would give a good (ivin» to a man'with a family who would do all theiiv.ownwork. This class .of-hilly .country will carry from H to 2 sheep', to the. core,' and. can be bought from , : J!6 to JSIO per' acre, ;buti2oo.. notes; of -it would, be of ;no uso,- to , a - man. . ; The owners . of theso mall stations are more, likely to come to terms'; with ,an -association: for, a ealrivihan: are. the" owners ,of land on the.flats. Speaking personally. -I: may . say'• I- .hail a, farm in view of 25Q0 (icres thiit'l know' could be bought at :,a . reasonable,' price,:: ririd with four others we., wero; goihg/'to approach■. the owner; but this is. row knocked 'on the. toad,' as we would onlyistarve on 200,'acios.—I' ami .etc., - T.M.G.' .