The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3674, 24 April 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1883.

The Wairoa Guardian, in the exercise of its undoubted functions, has called attention to the administration of the Crown lands within the county by the Napier Waste Lands Board. Taking its text from the Crown Lands Guide, the Guardian says from the portion under the control of the Auckland Crown Lands Commissioner we make the following extracts: — "Lands being prepared for settlement. —Wairoa County.— Ruakiture block. This block, which consists of about 45,800 acres, partly open and partlj- bush land, is situated about thirty-five miles from Gisborne and twentyfive miles from Clyde. Roads which will connect with the main road from Gisborne to Wairoa arc being made through the block. Area and brief general description of Crown lauds in the provincial district of Auckland which arc in a position to be rendered available for sale on application to the Land Board.—-Wairoa County.— 226,000 acres.—Soil generally good, but light, and often very broken; vegetation "■euerally fern, tutu, and llux. Suitable generally for sheep-runs. Some of the river flats contain excellent agricultural lands. The forests aro mixed, the timber being generally totara, rimu, and matai. The town of Clyde is iv weekly communication with Napier by steamer." Turning to the land under the control of "the Napier Land Board, tha Guardian finds but one country section open for sale on application out, viz., 25 acres in the Maungaharuru survey district at an upset of £'12 13s. No land in the county is being prepared for settlement, and under the bald heading of "unsurveyed lands" appears this announcement —"In the Nuhaka; Mahanga, and Mocangiangi districts arc about 7500 acres." The utility of the Napier Crown Lands Board, may well bo questioned when such remarkable announcements as this aro officially published. The truth is, the Napier Board has not the slightest idea of the valuable estate the Crown owns in the Wairoa county. No attempt is ever made to render these lands fit for settlement; huge blocks arc leased from year to year at ridiculous rentals, in some cases no*offers being made, the term of the lease being so absurd, consequently these blocks remain unproductive. If any member of the Board doubts the correctness of these assertions let him move for a return of the Crown lands situated in the Wairoa count}' in the following survey districts, viz., Nuhaka, Mahanga, Clyde, Waihua, Mohaka. Mocangiangi, AVaitara., and Maungaharuru, and the rentals incoming from such lands. This return would prove very instructive, aud would form a remarkable corollary to the very bald official statements published in the Crown Lands Guide. AYe certainly think some steps should be taken to utilise and settle these wastelands. AYe arc strongly of opinion that if the district were locally represented on the Napier Board we should not have so much reason to complain.