ENCOURAGEMENT TO LOCAL ENTERPRISE,

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVI, Issue 3891, 10 February 1870, Page 4

ENCOURAGEMENT TO LOCAL ENTERPRISE,

"A Country Setjtler." writes to us as follows upon this subject: — '" It is acknowledged oia all hands that the development of the resources of a country is the groundwork of its greatness ; and one of the first steps towards so desirable a result is the opening up of a country by means of roads and bridges. Until this is done, it is useless for country settlers to extend their farming operations, because they have no faoility for sending their produce to any market, The district of Maketu is a most promising one, and the settlera a persevering and industrious class, who would quickly go ahead if they had an outlet for the sale ot their produce. For the past 12 months they have made a great advance in their farming operations, but all their efforts would be useless until they have a ready transit to the principal markets. A railroad to the Waikato would be a great blessing to the province generally, but to districts south of .Auckland particularly, in the way of encouraging peojjle to settle down upon the land. The Auckland market would be then supplied with posts and rails, and various other matters, at a much cheaper rate than at present. Very i fine crops of wheat and potatoes are grown here this season, but there is no direct road to any market for their sale. It is, therefore, to be hoped the Provincial Government and the Provincial Council will do all in their power to stimulate farmiug operatious, by the making of good roads in the progressing districts that most require them ; and, if there be any surplus revenue, that a fair division of the same will be made among those districts that are most in need of encouragement in this direction. If the Government sold the land to honest industrious settlers, under certain conditions, they would do a great deal towards advancing the prosperity of the country. They would thereby benefit themselves as well aa forwarding the interests of all those desirous of settling upon the land. The land might be sold to settlers of this class — xixen who are known for their perseverance, and industry, and energy — in small parcels, say of ten, fifteen, or twenty acres, at a small interest per annum, the principal to be paid to the Government within a certain time. A system like this would do a great deal towai'ds the great jrinciple of settlement ; but even this, however desirable, would be ineffectual unless the country was first entirely opened up by means of good roads and railway traffic. It is admitted that the country is the making of the town, and that both are essential to each other j therefore it is most desirable that the commercial and agricultural interests of the province should devise every possible means of bringing both town and country into oloaer proximity by speedy transit. It is unquestionably their interest to do so. Many men who are now at the Thames would not be there if they could profitably and successfully settle down iipon their land. A railway to the Waikato would go very far towards effeoting this desirable object. -All the settlements along the line would be enhanced in value, and markets for the sale of all kinds of farming produce would soon spring up in many directions. Beaides, a railway to the j Waikato would be the first step towards direct and quick communication with other provinces on to Wellington, and from thence to the Middle Island — a fact in itself of paramount importance to the best interests of the ' colony aa a whole j and towards this desir* ] able result the General Government should lend a liberal helping hand. The time has i fully arrived when every nerve should be exerted in bringing all parts of the province and all parts of the colony into closer, more intimate, and more friendly connection, and have done for ever with those petty provin- j cial jealousies that at present have painful said injurious existence, which can only tend to retard the material prosperity of New ; Zealand as one great united colony." , , !